


Shadows of the Night

by afallenblackrose



Series: Shadows of the Night [1]
Category: Bishoujo Senshi Sailor Moon | Pretty Guardian Sailor Moon
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-10-24
Updated: 2015-12-27
Packaged: 2018-04-27 22:21:43
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 10
Words: 51,883
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5066710
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/afallenblackrose/pseuds/afallenblackrose
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Three years after her whole world was taken from her, Usagi returns to Tokyo to defeat a massive dark cloud. When she returns though, her new self is severely tested when Endymion and her friends try and turn her to darkness. Will she be able to resist?</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Ticket to Heaven

**Author's Note:**

  * Inspired by [In Darkness](https://archiveofourown.org/external_works/151759) by AngelONight. 



_All they gave me was this ticket to heaven_

_This ticket to heaven_

_Said to lie in the bed that you make_

_Now I’m restless and I’m running from everything_

_I’m running from everything_

_I’m afraid it’s a little too late_

_~Ticket to Heaven ~3 Doors Down_

* * *

 

 _Serenity_ , a voice whispered to her and she automatically flinched away from the name. A name she hadn’t heard in over three years. A name that was filled with so many memories of her tragic past, one that she wanted to never think about again. But here it was being whispered into her ear.

 _Princess Serenity can you hear me?_ The voice asked sounding helpless, broken.

 _I am not Princess Serenity; you have the wrong girl,_ Usagi answered. She knew she was dreaming and knew that what was to come in this dream wouldn’t be good.

_I do not have the wrong girl. I think I would know my own daughter._

_Mother?_

_Yes, Serenity, it is your mother._

_What do you want?_

_Serenity, it is time you returned to Tokyo. It is time you became Sailor Moon once again. You have run away long enough. It is time you conquered your demons and put Earth back on its right course._

_Mother, no offense, but if I wasn’t strong enough to fight Endymion and the Shitennou then, what makes you think I can fight them_ now _especially when the senshi are now on their side too?_

 _You’ve become so much stronger since you left them three years ago, Serenity. Just believe in yourself and you can do it._ Her mother’s voice was fading away.

 _Easy for you to say,_ Usagi mused. You _didn’t have to fight the ones you loved._

 _Believe in yourself,_ her mother said and then she was gone.

* * *

 

Usagi opened her eyes, as sunlight entered her room. She closed her eyes again and yawned. _So much for a full night’s rest_ , she grumbled in her head. The dream conversation with her mother was still running on repeat in her head. How was she supposed to go back to Tokyo? She had left for a reason, for crying out loud.

**_*Flashback*_**

_“Serenity,” Endymion’s cool voice said from the shadows. Usagi looked at him, but for some reason she just looked past him as if he didn’t exist. All the Sailor Senshi had turned; defected to the Dark Kingdom the only one left was her. She was really alone_

_A silence swept over them. This wasn’t how it was supposed to be._

_“Say something,” he interrupted her thoughts._

_“There isn’t anything to say, Endymion,” she replied cold, not caring. He walked towards her, a hand out to her as if to hold her or slap her from this person she was becoming. She looked at him surprised by his reaction. It was his fault that she was like this. If he had just come back to her as Mamoru, she wouldn’t be like this. But he had to continue in the Darkness._

_“Come with me and this will all end,” he whispered in her ear. “Everything would be perfect. We could be together."_

_“Do you honestly think I would come with you?” She asked. “This isn’t how it’s supposed to be Endymion. You and I both know that.”_

_“And how is it supposed to be, Serenity?” He seethed. “The Light hasn’t done anything for us.”_

_“Hasn’t it?” She countered. “It brought us back, it gave us another chance and you’re throwing it away.” The bed creased as he sat down next to her. It was silent as he thought this over. Then his hand swept away some of her bangs and he took her into his arms. At this point, Usagi was so tired from all the fighting that she didn’t fight him. She leaned her head onto his chest and sighed._

_“I love you,” he whispered into her hair. She sighed again._

_“I love you too,” she replied. “I don’t think I’ll ever be able to stop. But I don’t love this version of you.”_

**_*End Flashback*_**

Usagi blinked back the memories and got out of bed. It wouldn’t do to continue thinking of the past. What she did was done; she couldn’t go back and undo it. She wouldn’t go back to Tokyo; there was no way in hell…

She turned on the TV and stared in shock as the remote control fell to the ground. But the noise went unnoticed by Usagi, for Tokyo was on CNN, there was a massive black cloud hanging over the city, and from the look of the people on the streets they hadn’t seen daylight in years.

What had that imbecile _done?_ She clenched her fist in anger. She couldn’t stand for this; she was Sailor Moon defender of love and justice, she couldn’t watch helplessly as her old beloved city went to hell. Usagi stood up and turned off the TV. She stalked over to her closet and pulled out a suitcase and started throwing clothes into it haphazardly.

She had her phone in her hand and had already dialed a number.

“What’s up, Buns?”

“Haruka, I’m going back to Tokyo,” she replied.

There was a silence on the other end and somehow Usagi couldn’t blame the other girl for being silent. She had been vehement about not returning to Tokyo since she had arrived in Los Angeles three years ago.

“Are you sure?” Haruka finally asked.

“No,” Usagi sighed. “But I have to go back. Did you see the news? There’s a major black cloud over the city. I need to go back, I need to protect them. Besides I think I can handle this.”

“You think you can handle this?” Haruka asked doubtful. “Hon, you need to be absolutely positive that you can handle this.”

“Fine,” she replied into the phone. “I can handle this if you and the others come with me.”

Haruka laughed, “Why didn’t you say so before, Sere? I’ve been meaning to kick Endymion’s ass for years now.”

“Don’t touch Endymion,” Usagi replied cross. “If anyone is going to kick his ass, after all of this, it’s going to be me.”

* * *

 

Endymion’s face was scrunched in concentration. He did this every day since as long as she disappeared. He was trying to find her, but it wasn’t working. She was blocking him from finding her or she was dead. He opened his eyes and scowled. He needed to know where she was. It had been three years and he needed to see her, to touch her, anything just as long as he saw her.

Giggles escaped from his friends and subjects rooms. He rolled his eyes; this wouldn’t have bothered him if it weren’t for the fact that they were giggles of pleasure. All of them had their lover, except for him because she had to pull a disappearing act on him!

He growled.

**_*Flashback*_**

_Endymion, the four Sailor Senshi and the Shitennou crouched in wait for Sailor Moon to show up. A youma had been released in the park and was causing chaos. She was bound to come and save the humans._

_“Are you sure this is going to work?” Endymion asked his followers._

_“Of course it is,” Venus replied. “She’s Sailor Moon if innocents are in trouble, she’ll come save them.” Endymion looked back to the youma and stared. He didn’t have the heart to tell her what had happened a few nights ago with Serenity. How she had changed into someone uncaring and how she had stared at him as if he didn’t exist._

_They crouched in wait._

* * *

 

_It had been three hours and she still hadn’t showed. The youma was just standing around doing nothing, Endymion and the others were cramping. Where the hell was she?_

**_*End of Flashback*_**

Endymion slammed his fist onto his throne. She had to be stubborn; she had to be insistent on being on the side of Light. Damn her! He slammed his fist onto his throne again. Kunzite and Minako walked out of the shadows.

“Endymion?” Kunzite asked.

“She is such a stubborn fool!” He exclaimed. Kunzite and Minako exchanged looks. He had been like this for years now, ever since she left without a word. They couldn’t even trace her.

“Why did she leave? Why couldn’t she come to the darkness as she was told to do?” Endymion mused. “Why couldn’t she….” He trailed off as he felt something he hadn’t felt in awhile. The familiar connection that they had shared hummed in his mind. It was her, she was back, but something was off about this hum. He stood up in a rush and teleported. He had to go and investigate. Why was she back after all of this time? Where had she been for the last three years? Why was the connection between them different now?

But the real reason that he went to investigate was because he needed to see her again.

* * *

 

Usagi frowned up at the sky as she walked out of her old home. The dark cloud was pissing her off to no end. Upon her return she had seen her parents and they looked drained and tired as if they hadn’t slept a good night’s sleep in years. They said that it had to do with the cloud. No one could figure out how it arrived and why it was still there after all this time.

But Usagi knew why. The cloud was sucking up people’s energy; the Dark Kingdom put the cloud there with help probably from her old friends.

She sighed and continued walking down the street, shaking her head as people sluggishly walked around as if they were zombies. She was going to wreak absolute hell the next time she saw Endymion and the others. She wasn’t who she used to be three years ago.

Her mother was right. She was stronger now.

She entered the old Crown Arcade, amazed that it was still there even though no one was inside playing video games.

The bell above the door rang, signaling her entrance.

“I’ll be right with you!” Motoki’s voice called out from the kitchens. Usagi smiled to herself; at least _he_ still sounded the same. She took a seat at the counter. Motoki came out from the kitchens and made his way towards her, not really seeing her.

“What can I get you?”

“I would like one of your famous double chocolate milkshakes, please,” Usagi replied smiling. Motoki frowned as he scribbled it onto his pad.

“Wow, I haven’t had to make one of these in three years,” he said then looked up. His mouth opened in shock. “Usagi?!”

“Hi Motoki-kun, it’s been a long time,” she replied.

“Long time, my ass!” He exclaimed and ran around the counter to hug her. “Where the hell have you been for the last three years, Buns?”

“Um…out of town?” Usagi replied.

“That’s all you’re going to give me?”

“Well…” she sighed. Motoki knew about the Senshi business and he knew what had happened with Mamoru and the others. “I had to get away for awhile, actually I had no intention of ever coming back but then I saw the news yesterday. What the hell is going on, Motoki-kun?”

Motoki sighed, “You saw this on the news?”

“Yeah, they think it’s some kind of meteorologist phenomenon,” Usagi replied as the bell above the door rang again. They both looked to see who had walked in.

“Can I help you?” Motoki asked. A tall blonde had walked in.

“Hey Haruka,” Usagi greeted her. “Nice to see you finally made it.”

Haruka smiled and made her way over to Usagi, “Is Tokyo always like this?”

“It didn’t used to be,” she sighed. “But then I disappeared.”

“Don’t be so hard on yourself, Buns,” Haruka and Motoki said in unison. They looked at each other.

“Oh, right, Haruka this is Motoki a close friend and Motoki this is Haruka another close friend,” Usagi said making introductions.

“Nice to meet you,” Motoki said. “I take it you took care of Usagi during her absence?”

Haruka nodded, “Yes, that’s right. It’s nice to meet you too, Motoki. I’ve heard a lot about you.” They smiled at each other.

“So, what are you going to do about the cloud, Bunny?” Motoki asked.

“I have no idea,” Usagi replied. “Did the others make it?”

“Yeah, they’re on their way here,” Haruka answered.

“The others?”

“Haruka wasn’t the only one who was taking care of me while I was away,” Usagi answered Motoki’s question.

“Oh.” They sat in silence, as Usagi was thinking madly. What was she going to do about the dark cloud? She had no idea what she was going to do, but she didn’t even know what she was going to do when she saw Endymion and the others. After planning this moment for years, she still came up blank. Some princess she was…

It was just then that she heard a scream.

Usagi and Haruka’s heads shot up in alarm.

“Do you think?”

“It’s definitely a youma,” Usagi nodded. “They’re trying to draw me out.”

Haruka stared at her, “What do you mean they’re trying to draw you out?”

“Endymion knows I’m here, he just doesn’t know where,” she replied feeling the hum of their connection. It was her mistake to let the block that she had learned to do when she first arrived in L.A. to become undone. “But that doesn’t matter. Let’s go.” Usagi stood up from her stool, smiled at Motoki, and then ran out the door with Haruka following her.

Without saying her usual transformation, Usagi was already in her Sailor fuku, but it was different. Instead of the usual blue it was black, her tiara jewel was purple and her yellow moon earrings were red. This was definitely a different Sailor Moon.

The screams were coming from the park and Sailor Moon stared in shock at how huge this thing was. It was at least an eight-foot youma, and like most of the Dark Kingdom’s youma had horrible pastel colored skin (this one was puke green) and long daggers for fingernails.

“My imagination, or is this bitch incredibly tall?” Moon asked Uranus.

“She’s definitely a little large,” Uranus replied smiling. “But we can handle her easily.” Moon nodded at her.

“Just be careful,” Moon reminded her. “Endymion, the Senshi and the Shitennou could show up at any minute.”

“ _Please_ , those guys are total pushovers,” Uranus said and jumped onto the scene followed by Moon. The youma who was attacking a few school girls looked up when they arrived on the scene. It was speechless for a moment, before it decided to speak.

“Well, well, well, if it isn’t Sailor Moon,” she said. “I thought you died.”

“You wish,” Moon countered and brought out her scepter. “Moon Cosmic Power!” She called and a bright white light emitted from the scepter and enveloped the youma. She screeched in pain and became dust.

“Nice one, Sailor Moon!” Uranus exclaimed and did a fist pump.

“Thanks!” Moon replied and then flinched. _He_ was here watching her in the shadows. She could feel _him_ as if _he_ were standing right next to her…

* * *

 

Endymion watched in the shadows as two sailor senshi jumped onto the scene. He was in shock, who were these girls? The only Sailor Senshi left was Sailor Moon and she was there, but something was off about her. She wasn’t the same from when he had last seen her. Which lead him to the other senshi. Who was this other girl?

He kept watching in surprise as the eight-foot youma was destroyed in a nano second. What the hell happened to Sailor Moon? She was so powerful! He stared at her in adoration and fear. He saw her flinch and knew that she had felt him.

“Serenity?” He asked as he stepped out of the shadows. Moon turned slowly to face him. She felt Uranus standing beside her. He looked horrible since the last time she saw him. There were bags under his eyes and his five o’clock shadow was back. His eyes were alight with something she was surprised to see there, hope.

“Endymion,” she greeted her voice cold. He moved towards her. Uranus tensed beside her and Moon heard her growl.

“Easy, Uranus,” she whispered. “He’s just curious.” She looked back at him as he froze in his tracks.

“You’re alive,” he said dumbly, not sure what else there was to say.

“Yes, I am.”

“I thought you were dead,” he whispered. “You look different.” He stared at her fuku and tiara. She looked like she had turned to the Darkness. Her eyes were darker and flashing, daring him to come even an inch closer to her. His hand clenched at his side. He wanted so badly to run his hand along her cheek, but she would attack him then. He was almost sure of it.

“I am different,” she answered steady. “What do you want Endymion?”

“The same as before,” he said finally coming back to the situation at hand. “You know you’ll come to us eventually. We have all your friends, you’re no match for us, now.”

“So you think,” Moon seethed. “I am not the same girl from three years ago. You won’t be able to defeat me so easily.” Endymion stared at her and raised an eyebrow in curiosity.

“Oh really, what makes you so sure?”

Moon frowned, “Me.”

“You?” Endymion asked curious. “Serenity, you’re still the same girl from three years ago. You can change your appearance as much as you want but you are still her. You’ll come to us soon, it’s inevitable.”

“My, aren’t we the cocky bastard,” she countered reaching for her wand. Endymion frowned and jumped over her. She stopped and turned her body to face him, she was glaring. Clearly, pissed off.

“Serenity, how many times have you tried to heal me but couldn’t?” He sighed and shook his head. “I thought we would be past this by now.”

“Who says I was trying to heal you?” Endymion frowned and his eyes locked on hers. She wasn’t joking. She really intended to moon dust him. What the hell had Sailor Moon become?

“You can’t kill me, Sailor Moon,” he said. “You’ve tried and failed.” He felt the Shitennou and the Sailor Senshi teleport next to him. They all looked in shock at Sailor Moon and the unidentified Sailor Senshi standing next to her.

“Like I’ve said before, Endymion, I was a different person then,” she raised her Moon Wand, her eyes flashing with determination.

“Serenity, what the hell do you think you’re doing?” Sailor Venus asked pissed off. “You’re willing to dust the person you care most for in this world? Just because you’re being stubborn and won’t join us?”

“The person I care for most in this world is no longer there,” Moon answered. “Endymion isn’t Mamoru, he’s something else entirely as are you all.”

“He’s basically pond scum,” Uranus replied to Moon. Everyone looked at her.

“And who the hell are you supposed to be?” Kunzite spat. “You look like a Sailor Senshi, but that can’t be considering they’ve all turned to the Dark.”

“Not all of them, babe,” Uranus winked. “Sailor Uranus. I want to say it’s a pleasure to meet you, but I’m afraid it’s not.”

“Sailor Uranus?” Venus mumbled and looked at her fellow Senshi. They all looked back at her with the same blank look. They didn’t know who she was either.

“You think you can defeat me, Serenity?” Endymion asked amused. “I’d like to see you try and fail.” Moon’s eyes flashed.

“I will not fail,” she seethed jumping up into the air and twirling her Moon Wand. “I call upon the power of the celestial maiden Selene to grant me the power of the Moon Kingdom.” A bright white light surrounded her and everyone who gazed upon it almost went blind.

“What is this?” Endymion muttered he’d never seen Sailor Moon do this before. Eventually the bright white light faded away to reveal Princess Serenity in all her splendor. Endymion’s eyes widened, she was so beautiful in her princess form. She gracefully landed on the ground in front of them. Uranus was bowing to her, but the others just stood staring at her.

Uranus stood up and glared at the other Senshi, “If you had any respect at all you bow to your Princess,” she seethed.

“Uranus it is alright,” Serenity’s angelic voice rang out. “They will deal with their indiscretions when they come back to the Light.”

Endymion stepped forward towards her and her eyes flashed in anger at him. “Serenity you are…”

“Save it, Endymion,” she cut him off. But he wouldn’t have it, he strode forward, fast and within seconds she was in his arms and away from the group. He held her close, revealing in her scent, her touch, and her closeness. She felt so good against him. Even though she was struggling.

“Let go of me at once, Endymon!” She exclaimed her eyes wild with fury. He chuckled.

“You have changed, Serenity,” he replied. “There was a time you wouldn’t have complained about being so close to me.”

“There was also a time when I thought I could save you from the Darkness,” she countered. “Guess I was wrong on both accounts.”

“As I said before,” he smiled. “You could join me in the Darkness, and then everything would be perfect.”

“Perfect my ass,” she muttered.

“You do have a perfect ass,” he whispered in her ear as they landed on a balcony. Serenity looked and rolled her eyes.

“Your old apartment?” She asked. “Kind of foreshadowing things a little bit aren’t you?”

“Only a little,” he smiled opening the door and letting them inside. He put her down on the couch and was soon on top of her.

She gazed up into his deep blue eyes. She forgot how easily she could get lost in those eyes. She held back a sigh that wanted to escape her lips, that’s all she needed was for Endymion to think that she was content in his embrace and underneath him. Serenity scowled. How the _hell_ had she wound up _beneath_ him?

“I’ve missed you,” he whispered huskily nuzzling her neck. Serenity felt herself roll her eyes again.

“Laying it on a little thick, aren’t you?” She asked.

Endymion looked up at Serenity, “What happened to you?” He asked her point blank.

“A lot of things,” she replied. “But one of them is this.” A bright flash of light lifted Endymion off of her and slammed him against the wall. Serenity was up and off the couch before he could move. He stared at her in shock at the sheer force of her power. He wasn’t expecting that.

She was right she had indeed changed.

“Serenity,” he whispered.

Her eyes flashed at him, “Don’t. You know the reason I left and I think you should know the reason I came back.” She approached him, but stayed out of his reach. “I came back to free Tokyo from this cloud that you placed over the city. I also came not to heal and restore you to who you once were, but to destroy you. And let me make one thing clear, Endymion. I am not falling and nor will I put up with any of your mind games.” She turned on her heal to leave the apartment.

“You wanted a war, Endymion,” she whispered as she jumped from the balcony. “You got one.” _  
_

 


	2. Hero

_I was trying to hide my opposing side_

_Trying to reconcile my Jekyll and Hyde_

_Ladies and Gentlemen listen up please_

_I don’t want to be your hero_

_I am not open parts of me are broken_

_Do yourself a favor save yourself_

_Don’t pick me find someone else_

_Why’d you want to bother?_

_Find yourself another_

_~Hero ~Darren Hayes_

* * *

 

“You wanted a war, Endymion,” she whispered as she jumped from the balcony. “You got one.” Serenity felt the wings on her back open and she glided away from Endymion’s apartment. She was glad that he hadn’t seen her shaking. He had no idea how much that meeting had taken out of her. If she had been the girl from three years ago, she probably would have given into Endymion.

But she wasn’t that girl from three years ago. She wouldn’t be that girl from three years ago. She was stronger now. She had been so close to destroying him, but she hadn’t. Now that Endymion knew why she was back she didn’t think she would get a chance like that ever again.

But if she did, she wouldn’t waste it.

Serenity glided down to the ground and found someone running towards her.

“Princess!” Uranus exclaimed stopping in front of her. “Are you okay? Did Endymion try anything?”

“I’m fine, Uranus. Endymion didn’t do anything. At least I never gave him the chance to do anything,” she replied before detransforming into her regular clothes. Uranus followed suit and put a comforting arm around her shoulders.

“I hate to say this, Usagi,” Haruka said. “But you don’t look fine.”

“Of course I don’t,” she whispered. “I just faced Endymion for the first time in three years and I almost gave in, Haruka. I thought I could handle this, I felt like I could handle this. But I was wrong. Why does he have such an effect on me?”

“You know why, Buns. You and him are supposed to be soul mates. You’re destined to be together. Destiny doesn’t care about how things are right now. You’re feeling that ache.”

Usagi sighed in frustration. She was feeling the ache all right. She looked up at the apartment building she had just left. How much longer could she pretend?

* * *

 

Endymion couldn’t stop thinking about what Serenity had told him. He replayed the words over and over again in his head. He also replayed the scene. He hadn’t expected her to show so much power. The girl she was three years ago wouldn’t have done that.

She really had changed. He leaned on the railing to the balcony and watched Serenity glide to the ground. He had never seen her so graceful and in control. The strong will she possessed now was unnerving him.

“Endymion?” Kunzite asked trying to get the prince’s attention.

“She’s different, Kunz,” he replied looking at his general. “I’m not sure if she’ll come to the Darkness as easily as we thought. Especially now that she has the Outers backing her.”

“The Outers?” Kunzite asked confused.

“Yes, the Outers. You probably don’t remember them, but they are also Princess Serenity’s protectors and now that she has lost the Inner Senshi she has to rely on them. That’s why she is so strong now. The Outers are stronger and hold more power than the Inners. I’m afraid, Kunzite, we are in some deep shit.”

* * *

 

Later on in the night, Usagi couldn’t sleep. Every cell in her body was screaming with recognition that Endymion was so close to her. Her body was also screaming because of the dark cloud hanging over the city. Something had to be done about that cloud.

She groaned as she got out of the bed. At the moment, she couldn’t do anything about Endymion but the cloud…she could at least try to figure out how to make it disappear. She slipped out the window and felt her Sailor fuku appear. Now that Usagi was in her Senshi form she jumped with ease from the roof to the roof next door. She also felt her body’s tension ease. Somewhat.

She needed to get as close as humanly possible to the cloud to get a read on it. But she knew she didn’t have much time, Endymion, by now, had probably felt her transform and was probably wondering why when he had not sent out a youma. As she thought of that she picked up her speed. She didn’t know how much more she could take of Endymion tonight.

Sure when she was in Los Angeles for the last three years and fantasized about the first time she would face Endymion again, she had seen things different. She had been strong and quick with the Moon Wand. But she had forgotten one small thing in her little fantasies.

His damn eyes.

Usagi shook her head and was amazed as she jumped to the roof of the tallest building in Tokyo. After landing, she gazed up at the cloud and in the past would have winced from the sheer intensity of the darkness billowing out of its center. Now, she just sighed. She should have known that this would be difficult. How could she have thought it would have been easy? When the Dark Kingdom took her friends they also took the smartest one in their party, Ami.

No doubt, Ami was the mastermind behind this cloud. Usagi sighed and closed her eyes and channeled the Silver Crystal. She threw some power at different parts of the cloud, testing its structure for weaknesses. At one point, near the center of the cloud the cloud began to buckle. Usagi opened her eyes and instantly felt Endymion’s eyes boring into her back.

* * *

 

Endymion was lying on his bed, staring up at his ceiling. Serenity was back. She was back and stronger than he ever remembered her being before. Even in their past lives she had never been this strong. Not to mention she had also fought off his advances. She had never done that before.

Never.

 _What have you become Serenity?_ He couldn’t help but think even though he knew it was mostly his fault. She had gone away to get away from him and the Darkness. She had succeeded and from the look of the things the only reason she had returned was because of the cloud. She was Sailor Moon after all she had citizens to protect.

But if she had just given in when she was supposed to it wouldn’t be like this. They would have been in bliss together not him wanting to turn her and her trying to kill him. He punched the wall in frustration. Why did she want to kill him now? In the past she would always want to turn him back, but now Serenity wanted to kill him. He never thought he would see the day when she wanted to do such a thing to him. And he didn’t want it to be true, but when he starred into her eyes earlier as she said her speech, he could tell she was dead serious.

When had things gone so horribly wrong? He groaned. Things needed to be set right. She had to go back to the person she was before. The one who wanted him and wanted to turn him back to the Light. _Speaking of_ …he thought in his head. He felt the familiar pull he usually felt when Usagi had turned into Sailor Moon. But the question was why? He hadn’t sent out any youma and the Sailor Senshi were _occupied_.

Then he remembered the cloud. Of course, she would want to see what the deal was with it and how to get rid of it. But what she didn’t know was that it was indestructible, at least, he would able to see her again. Maybe even get the chance to turn her. He disappeared into a portal of darkness, a smile on his face for the first time in years at the mere thought of Serenity finally being his.

When he reappeared he was on the roof of Tokyo’s highest building and standing before him enshrined in a white light was Sailor Moon. She was concentrating really hard on something and didn’t notice his appearance. Or she pretended not to.

He was too distracted by her beauty to care if she had noticed him or not. It reminded him of something he didn’t usually think back on. The time in the Silver Millennium when he belonged to the Light, before everything with Beryl and before things went, in Serenity’s eyes, horribly wrong.

**_*Flashback*_ **

_Endymion was roaming through the gardens. It had been a long few days. He had made another conquest in his bed and there was that new woman who was interested in him. He groaned at the thought. She wasn’t a woman and it wasn’t an interest in him it was an infatuation that bordered on obsession. The woman’s name was Beryl and she had just come to the palace and was already infatuated._

_He needed to take his mind off of that woman. Even though his generals were edging him on to have her be his next conquest, there was something wrong with that woman. Something he couldn’t quite name, and it was perplexing for him. Hence why he was walking in the gardens. He needed to think clearly._

_As he turned the corner, an amazing beauty brought him out of his thoughts. Standing before him was an absolute goddess. The girl was short, her golden hair was styled in two “meatballs” on top of her head and flowing pigtails, and she wore a white dress that looked like a second skin on her. The way her face was positioned he couldn’t see it, but knew somehow that it matched her beauty._

_He approached hesitantly; she looked fragile almost as if she would break at the smallest advance._

_“Beautiful gardens, aren’t they?” He asked. He heard a small gasp come from her before she turned around slowly to face him. When she did, it was him who gasped. On her forehead was the crescent moon. No wonder she was such a beauty she was the Moon Princess. The Moon Princess who was forbidden to be here._

_“Princess Serenity…” he began trying to tell her that she wasn’t allowed on his planet and that there were serious repercussions for her being here, but he couldn’t. She gazed up at him with the bluest eyes, so full of innocence, that his gaze immediately softened and he closed his mouth. How could he yell at such a beautiful girl?_

_“Endymion!” He heard Kunzite’s voice exclaim from a few feet away. Endymion watched Serenity’s eyes widen in realization of who he was. She was afraid of him._ As she should be _, a part of him told himself._ You could easily turn her in. _But he silenced that voice. There was something about her; he couldn’t be that cruel to her._

_“Quick,” he whispered to her as he heard Kunzite’s approaching footsteps. “Hide.” He turned his back on her and hoped that she had found a hiding spot._

_“There he is, gentlemen!” Kunzite exclaimed as three other men followed him. All of which were extremely drunk. Endymion frowned. It must have been card night again._

_“Endymion! Our dear prince!” Jadeite exclaimed. “Where have you been? Trying to persuade that Beryl into your bed?” They all laughed._

_“Kunzite, Nephrite, Jadeite, Zoicite, why don’t you go back to the palace and I’ll join you shortly. Perhaps you can convince the new kitchen maid to accompany one of you to your bed?” He asked. The four just stared at him. Endymion narrowed his eyes at them, “That was an order,” he gruffly replied. The four raised their eyebrows but did what their prince ordered them to do. Who were they to defy their Prince’s orders? Even though he had never ordered them to do anything before, but they were too drunk to question his motives._

_Once Endymion thought they were gone, he turned around to find Serenity coming out of her hiding spot. She gazed at him a question in her eyes._

_“You need to leave,” he told her. “Before they come back.”_

_“Why are you helping me, Prince Endymion?” Her angelic voice asked. “You could have easily turned me in, but you haven’t. I need to know why?”_

_He smiled at her, “Because a beauty like you shouldn’t be locked up for a crime that was based on curiosity. However, I do advise that you don’t come back, next time I might not be so forgiving.” Even as the words left his lips he knew that they were an empty threat. He wouldn’t turn her in, no matter how many times she came back._

_Serenity smiled and in a flash was gone._

**_*End of Flashback*_ **

Endymion sighed at the memory. The visit that had started it all even though it was a thousand years ago. _And how things have changed_ , he mused as he stared at Sailor Moon. Whatever she had been doing when he arrived she had stopped. He knew she sensed him by now.

“Beautiful cloud, isn’t it?” He asked.

Sailor Moon turned to face him, a look of disgust on her face.

“To you maybe, Endymion,” she spat. “But to the people of Tokyo it’s the core of their nightmares.”

“It is a beauty to me, Serenity,” he smiled. “It brought you back to me, didn’t it?”

“I’m not back. I’m just here to destroy this cloud and to destroy you.”

“I don’t think so, Serenity. For you see the cloud is indestructible and you can’t destroy me. You’re not strong enough.” He stepped closer to her and her eyes narrowed.

“Is that what you really think, Endymion?” She asked stepping towards him. “That after three years away, I haven’t changed?” She silkily said. She didn’t know where the hell that had come from, but she decided to go with it. He wouldn’t be expecting her to be this _seductive_. God, knows she hadn’t been three years ago.

Endymion’s eyebrow arched in surprise, he wasn’t expecting her to come towards him. But now that she was making her moves, he would make his. He wanted her. He wanted to feel her skin. He wanted to feel her body along his. It had been too long….

He began to approach her like a predator approaches its prey. Sailor Moon froze, her plan had worked too well. She was in way over her head. She took a step back from him, but Endymion lurched forward and grabbed her hand in his.

And was immediately engulfed in a bright white light.

Sailor Moon’s mouth dropped open in surprise. She had forgotten that she was still channeling the Silver Crystal’s power. Maybe she wouldn’t have to worry about destroying him after all. Maybe just one accidental touch would do the job for her.

Endymion was in pain. His head was throbbing uncontrollably, like he had just spent the last two days drinking and was now suffering from a horrible hangover. Like he was being split into two different directions. A voice was yelling in his head, exuberant that it had finally been released and was now fighting desperately to conquer him and regain dominance over his mind, body and soul.

And here, Endymion had thought he had killed what had remained of his side of the Light. But apparently he hadn’t.

“Usagi?” He heard himself ask.

Sailor Moon’s eyes widened in shock, “M-mamoru?” She stuttered. It couldn’t be…She thought Endymion had destroyed anything that remained of the Light part of his soul.

“Odango Atama, I’m so sorry,” he whispered.

“Mamoru? But how, I thought….”

“That I was gone?” He asked. “No, I’m still here. I’ve just been locked up and suppressed by the Darkness.”

 _And you will be again,_ Endymion growled. How could it be that Mamoru Chiba was still in his head? He thought he had destroyed him. No matter, now that he knew of Mamoru’s existence he would dispose of him. Channeling as much of the Darkness as he could he fought back the Light that was flooding through his veins.

And was happy to find the voice that was Mamoru gone.

He frowned wickedly at Sailor Moon, “You tricked me,” he gruffly said.

“Tricked you?” Sailor Moon asked confused. “What are you talking about, Mamoru?”

“Mamoru is gone, Serenity. But I have to admit you had me fooled with your talk of destroying me.” He laughed a cold heartless laugh as he stalked towards her forcing her to take steps backward. Back to how things were before. He grinned wolfishly. She may believe that she had changed in the last three years, but he knew she really hadn’t.

“I wasn’t joking, Endymion,” her voice was cold. “I will destroy you.”

“I don’t think so, Serenity. You just showed me your hand. You still hope that a part of me remains in the Light. You’re trying to turn me back.”

“I am not trying to turn you back, Endymion!” She exclaimed.

“You just tried to,” he rebutted.

“You think that was a set up? You think I did that on purpose? How stupid are you? If I knew I was still channeling the power of the Crystal I would have used it to destroy you, not to turn you back.” Even though in a way she had hoped it would, but what had happened brought about an interesting turn of events. Mamoru was still there inside of him. She had thought Endymion had destroyed any part of him that remained in the Light, but he was still there. This changed things...didn’t it? She was mulling this over which told Endymion all that he needed to know.

“You’re lying,” he replied. “Because before you thought that Mamoru wasn’t still here and now that you know that he is, will you really kill him? I don’t think you can be that heartless, Serenity.” He kept advancing on her and as he took another step, Sailor Moon stepped backwards to get distance between them, and stopped realizing that if she took another step she will fall off the roof of the tallest building in Tokyo. Endymion smiled in victory and lunged at her. Sailor Moon groaned and took the step that would send her over the edge.

Endymion stopped and stared in shock. She had just stepped off the building on her own. Just to get away from him, she was now going to plunge to her death? He stared down and watched in horror as her body began to fall, faster to the ground below.

The air was swirling around her as she rushed down to the ground below. Was Endymion right? Could she really be that heartless and kill the part of him that was still in the Light? Sailor Moon sighed and willed her wings to appear. They uncurled, catching the wind and flung herself upward back to where she had just been. This complicated things. She needed to be strong. She had to remember what she had endured in the last three years. It would be stupid to throw it all away because she thought there might be just a sliver of hope that Mamoru was still in there somewhere. As she climbed, she could feel Endymion’s gaze on her again. She really couldn’t blame him. He probably thought she was going to die. But he kept forgetting she always had a few tricks up her sleeves.

Endymion couldn’t believe what he was seeing. Serenity was falling to her death; she was _flying_ back up to him. What had she become?

“Endymion,” she replied floating above him. “I told you a few hours ago that you wanted a war, and by your request you have gotten one. I stand by what I have said since I have returned. I will not be falling for any of your mind games. I am not trying to turn you back to the Light, that ship has sailed. You may believe that I have not changed, but as you can see you’re horribly wrong. The next time we meet, Endymion, will be the last.”


	3. How to Build a Time Machine

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Big shout out to Chaoticwisdom for leaving two beautiful reviews on the last two chapters. Thank you so much for your kind words! :)

_All the things I lost. All the people I hurt._  
_All the times I lied. All the moments wasted._  
 _All I never did. All the dreams I had._  
 _All the things I would change. I can change them._  
 _I'm gonna make right what I made wrong and change how the future has gone._  
 _Through appliance of science I'll take hold of my enemies._  
 _Take their obscenities._  
 _Kiss them and leave them like lovers who've gone._  
 _I'll call my dad, I'll tell him I miss him and tell my reflection it's not your fault._  
 _And now the moment has come._  
 _I’m travelling back in time._  
 _They're running down the hall._  
 _I've started the countdown._  
 _They want me to stop._  
 _But I don't think so._  
 _I'm ready to go._  
 _Let's get the job done!_  
 _Put your shoes on and run away from here._  
 _I can't get involved this is all so weird._

_~How to Build a Time Machine ~Darren Hayes_

* * *

The following morning Usagi went to go meet with the Outer Senshi to tell them about what had happened the night before. And the new turn of events that had taken both Usagi and Endymion by surprise. On her way to the arcade, she couldn’t stop thinking about what had happened the night before. Who knew that after four years, Mamoru was still within Endymion? She hated to say this, but it _did_ change things. Before, when she wanted to destroy Endymion, she had not thought twice about it. He needed to be destroyed; there was no trace of human left within him. He was a being of the Dark.

But apparently, she was wrong. Dead wrong.

Mamoru was still there. Endymion wasn’t completely a being of the Dark.

This complicated things, big time.

The bell above the door of the arcade rang as Usagi walked in. Motoki looked up from cleaning the counter and smiled.

“Back again, Bunny?” He asked.

“Making up for lost time,” she replied returning his smile. “Besides I’m supposed to meet the girls here for a quick meeting.”

“Sounds like old times,” Motoki replied sadly.

“Yeah, but these are different girls and different times,” she reminded him, even though she didn’t have to. He knew very well how times had changed. He had been living in Tokyo while the cloud, Endymion, the Shitennou, and the Senshi took over everything he knew and loved. It pained him to see Usagi back here to destroy a person; he knew that she cared deeply for. What kind of messed up world was this?

The bell over the door to the arcade jingled and three people walked in. Usagi looked up and smiled warmly at them. Motoki looked up surprised, since he didn’t know two of the people who had walked in. The one female was of medium height and had the strangest hair color, ocean green. Her face was light, and her dark blue eyes smiled warmly at him. The other female who he didn’t recognize was taller than Haruka and the one with the ocean green hair combined. Her long dark hair had a tint of green in it and her skin was olive in color. Her warm amber eyes had a tint of red in them. If it weren’t for the fact that Usagi knew this girl, Motoki would be scared as all hell by her.

“Usagi,” the two females crooned and walked over to their friend. The meatball haired girl ran into their welcoming embraces. Haruka just chuckled at the display of affection. Motoki watched the scene in front of him. He had been worried when Usagi disappeared three years ago, since they were unofficial siblings, and he had always been protective of her. But now he realized he shouldn’t have been. Whoever these girls were, they had taken care of Usagi and somewhat mended her broken heart. Motoki would be forever grateful to these girls, for doing that.

“Michiru, Setsuna I’m so glad to see you guys,” Usagi said breaking from their embrace. The two girls chuckled, smiling at their young princess.

“We’re glad to see you too, Usagi,” Michiru responded in her soft voice. She looked over at Motoki and smiled warmly at him. “This must be Motoki. We’ve heard so much about you.” Michiru and Setsuna walked over to Motoki with Usagi trailing along behind them. She popped out and stood next to Michiru and Motoki.

“Yep, this is him,” she smiled. “Motoki, this is my friend Michiru,” she pointed to the girl Motoki had seen with ocean green hair. “And this is my other friend Setsuna,” she pointed to the one with the long dark hair with a tint of green. “They were my support system back in Los Angeles.”

“It’s nice to meet you two,” he smiled at them. “I’m glad to see that Usagi wasn’t completely alone out there in LA. I can’t thank you enough for what you guys did for her.”

“There is no need to thank us,” Setsuna replied. “She is our princess, we are bound to protect her and since the Inner Senshi failed in that mission we had no choice but to intercede.”

“Right,” he said now smiling nervously. Setsuna was still scaring him. “Well, I’m going to let you guys get to your meeting. Holler if you need anything.”

“Motoki, wait, you need to stay for this,” Usagi said looking at him. “What I have to tell them about last night, I think you need to hear it too.”

“What happened last night?” Haruka, Michiru, and Setsuna said in unison, surprised. Other than Endymion and Usagi meeting for the first time in three years, what else could have happened? Usagi walked over to one of the booths and ushered them to sit down.

“I couldn’t sleep last night,” she replied to them once they were settled. “So I decided to do some investigative work on that cloud hanging over the city.”

“What?” Haruka hissed. “Bunny, how could you do that, without us?”

“I’m sorry, I just didn’t want to worry you.”

“But something happened?” Michiru asked softly.

“Yes, I was using the Silver Crystal to test the cloud for weaknesses. While I was testing, Endymion showed up behind me. I tried to…” Usagi paused, uneasy. “Seduce him, but I got in way over my head.”

“Okay, what happened next, Usagi?” Setsuna asked.

“He knew that I had gotten in over my head and he tried to grab my hand. I wish you guys could have seen the look on his face when he realized what I was trying to do…” Usagi sighed trying to wish away the memories of that hungry gaze of a predator. “Anyway, he grabbed my hand, but I was still channeling the power of the Silver Crystal.”

The three girls gasped while Motoki just stood there, not understanding what was going on.

“Huh?” He simply said.

“Endymion is a being of the Dark. Pure Darkness runs through his veins. My crystal and I are beings of the Light, so when my hand touched his while I was still channeling the crystal’s power something strange happened.”

“Something strange?” Haruka asked.

“Yes, for a moment, he was turned back into Mamoru.”

The girls gasped again.

“But that means…” Michiru whispered staring at Haruka.

“That Endymion isn’t completely Dark. His Light side still exists,” Haruka replied and stared at Usagi. “Also meaning this changes things. Doesn’t it, Buns?”

Usagi met Haruka’s gaze calmly, nodding her head, “Yes, Haruka, it does change things but it also complicates them. I don’t know what to do anymore.” Water began to pool in her eyes. She had tried really hard to keep it together, but Haruka, Michiru, Setsuna, and Motoki looked at her knowing that she was close to breaking. It was hard for her to see her old friends participating in the deeds of the Dark and also see her lover? Just heartbreaking. But just as she had decided that there would be no retribution for them other than to kill them, Endymion’s Light side resurfaces. Usagi had almost killed him. What was she going to do now?

“Bunny, it’s alright,” Motoki whispered placing an arm around her shoulders. “Don’t hold it all in. Let it out, you don’t have to be the strong Usagi right now.”

She looked up at him, tears already streaking down her cheeks. She knew she could cry in front of Motoki and the girls, but she had worked so damn hard to be the strong Usagi. How could Endymion do this to her? How could she let him do this to her? She had barely been back a day, and she was already resorting to her old ways before she left. This couldn’t happen. Usagi quickly and furiously wiped away the tears on her cheeks and the ones in her eyes.

“I’m okay,” she whispered. “I just had a moment of weakness.” She turned to the group of girls.

“Usagi,” Haruka whispered. “What are you going to do?”

“The only thing I can do,” Usagi said staring at all of them. “Kill him.”

Michiru and Motoki’s eyes widened in surprise, Setsuna and Haruka looked at each other with a knowing glance.

“Usagi, are you sure about this?” Motoki asked. “There’s no hope to save, Mamoru?”

“No,” she shook her head. “That’s what he’s going to expect me to do. He thinks that now that I know that his Light side still exists, I’m going to falter in killing him and try to ultimately save him instead. But I won’t, I know he’s going to use the Light side to toy with me. For all I know he’s already destroyed it.”

She then looked at Setsuna. She knew what she wanted answered, but couldn’t tell her.

“Usagi,” Setsuna said in a warning tone. “You know I can’t tell you that.”

She sighed, “I figured I might as well try.”

“Can’t tell you what?” Motoki asked confused.

“Setsuna is Sailor Pluto and the Guardian of Time. She has seen the future and I wanted to know what my decision meant for that future.”

“Oh,” Motoki said. “But doesn’t the future change?”

Before any of the girls could answer his question a bright light flashed in the arcade that caused everyone to shield their eyes. Once the light subsided, everyone looked up in shock. What the hell was that? Everyone’s eyes met the eyes of the new person who was standing in the arcade. It was a boy, who couldn’t have been more than thirteen years old. His hair was white and there was a unicorn horn poking out of the middle of his head. Usagi couldn’t help but stare at him.

He looked similar to Mamoru. What was going on here?

“Who are you?” Usagi asked as Haruka, Setsuna, and Michiru formed a wall between the two of them. The boy smiled and quickly knelt before them.

“I apologize, Princess Serenity, Sailor Uranus, Sailor Neptune and Sailor Pluto, for my quick and unforeseen appearance,” he said. Serena ushered for the boy to stand. “My name is Helios and I am the protector of Elysion.”

“Elysion?” Usagi asked.

“Elysion is home to the Golden Kingdom of Earth,” he replied staring at her.

“Golden Kingdom,” she muttered. “That sounds so familiar.”

Helios nodded, “It should. Prince Endymion comes from the Golden Kingdom and is the sole heir to the kingdom and its crystal.”

Usagi froze. Now she knew why the Golden Kingdom sounded so familiar. During the time of the Silver Millennium, Endymion was not only the Prince of Earth but also the Golden Kingdom as well. His reign had been prophesized by the greatest people in the universe. He would bring a time of change to the Earth and would unite the people of Earth and the people of the Moon by marrying the princess of the Moon. It would have come true if not for Queen Beryl.

But what was scary was that Endymion was also in control of the crystal of the Golden Kingdom, the Golden Crystal that almost matched the power of the Silver Crystal. And now that Endymion was a being of the Dark, if the crystal fell into his hands there wouldn’t be much the Outer Senshi and Usagi could do to stop it. How could they stop him from getting this crystal?

“I take it you remember, now, Princess Serenity?” Helios asked.

“Yes, but why come to me?”

“You are the only one who has the power to awaken the crystal within Endymion, you must not do this until he returns the side of Light.”

“And if I fail?”

“You know the consequences if you do fail,” he said.

“How do you know the consequences, Helios?” Usagi asked.

“Because Serenity, I am from the future,” he replied.

“No…” Usagi whispered her hand clamping on her mouth.

“Helios,” Setsuna sharply said her eyes narrowing at the boy.

“I’m sorry, Sailor Pluto but she must know of what lies ahead,” Helios sadly glanced at her before returning back to Usagi. “As I said before, I’m from the future and in that future, you fail at saving Endymion from the Darkness and ultimately turn to the Darkness yourself.”

Usagi felt like she couldn’t catch her breath. Everything she was doing was for naught? She felt herself falling before she lost consciousness.

* * *

 

Endymion sat on his bed staring up at the ceiling and thinking about whom else, but Serenity. He seemed to be doing this a lot lately and anyone who wondered why was a fool. The last two times he had seen Serenity; she had left him with a haunting message. This time she left him with something else to ponder. The fact that Mamoru freaking Chiba, also known as the reason he was still alive in the first place, was still in his body. Even though Endymion believed that he had rid himself of that horrible abomination two years ago, a year after Serenity had disappeared.

But somehow, Endymion couldn’t help but think that this discovery was a blessing. Since up until the revelation, he honestly believed that Serenity was going to obliterate him. Now, he couldn’t help but smile, he was going to use his Light side to get Serenity to finally turn to the Darkness. It had been too long, almost a thousand years, since he had last been with Serenity in _that_ way. He remembered that night the most specifically, since it was one of the best of his life. But in Serenity’s eyes, he couldn’t help but think again, it was the beginning of the end of their perfect romance.

*** _Flashback*_**

_Princess Serenity was staring up at the Earth. Her cream white hands were clutched in front of her and held just below her chin. Something was brewing in those eyes, just exactly what, Endymion couldn’t tell. He was hiding from behind one of the pillars that made up the balcony before Serenity’s bedroom. He had come to surprise her and to ask her a question of great importance. A beautiful box lay in the pocket of his armor. But what lay_ inside _the box was far more beautiful and more important._

_Endymion’s thoughts snapped when he realized that Serenity’s hands that had been clasped just so had dropped and were now clutching to the railing as if her life depended on it. Her head, which had been held proudly up to look at the Earth, drooped down so she was staring directly below into the gardens that Endymion usually travelled by to come and see her. What was perplexing his love so? Finally, deciding to leave his hiding place he approached her carefully._

_Soft cries of pain reached his ears as he neared her. They were coming from his beloved, but why? Why was she crying?_

_“Serenity?” He whispered a few inches behind her. The princess, in shock, swiftly turned around a hand clutching at her chest and a hand cupping her mouth. Her eyes widened when they met his cool azure blue ones._

_“E-endymion?” She shakily asked. “How long have you been standing there?”_

_“Long enough to see something is perplexing you,” he replied studying her face intently. Searching hard, he found the tears that he had heard her crying a few seconds before. “What is wrong, my dear Serenity?” He asked coming closer to her._

_“Oh Endymion,” she whispered in response and rushed forward into his awaiting arms. He looked down, surprised and quickly embraced her. What was bugging her so?_

_“Serenity?” He asked softly. “Tell me what’s the matter.”_

_“Is it true?” She countered, pulling back from his chest to look him in the eyes._

_“Is what true, dear one?”_

_“What my Senshi are saying about the Earth declaring war on the Moon…” she trailed off._

_Endymion stiffened at the question. How was it Serenity, innocent, adorable Serenity knew of what was going on between the two planets? Such an innocent girl should not know these shadows of the kingdom, but even though every instinct told him to lie to her, he could not._

_“I’m afraid,” he began. “It is true, Serenity. My planet does want to declare war on the Moon, because of an underground society who has raised up and is threatening the kingdom to go to war or be overthrown.”_

_Serenity’s eyes widened in shock. This was not the answer she had been expecting. But she regained her composure quickly._

_“If that is the case, then why are you here, Endymion?”_

_“I’m here to assure that our kingdoms don’t go to war,” he sighed in response. This was not how he wanted to begin his speech._

_“How Endymion?”_

_“I spoke to your mother yesterday evening, and she has agreed to my proposal,” he smiled softly. Serenity backed away from him, questioning. What was he planning?_

_“Serenity, I know we have only known each other a few weeks, but I have fallen completely and irrevocably in love with you. And I’m really hoping you feel the same way.” Endymion began to go down on one knee and a hand surged into his pocket where he was keeping the box. Serenity’s hands flew up to her mouth in surprise. He couldn’t be doing what she thought he was doing, could he?_

_But she knew better, out of his pocket, Endymion held out a small square box, which held, as he opened it for her to see, a simple diamond ring. An engagement ring._

_“Princess Serenity of the Moon Kingdom, will you honor me by becoming my wife?” He asked looking up into her eyes. Tears were forming in her eyes, and he was really hoping that they were tears of joy rather than tears of disappointment. He would soon find out the answer when Serenity knelt down to his level and kissed him full on the cheek._

_“Yes,” she whispered the tears now flowing freely. “Of course I will.”_

_Endymion smiled, sweeping her into a hug and spun her around. He was ecstatic that she accepted his proposal. He quickly slid the ring onto her left hands ring finger and peckered her face with kisses. Until finally she let his lips claim her own. The kiss was everything to the both of them. They clung to each other desperately as their lips danced together. Getting caught up in the passion of the moment, Endymion swept his tongue across the bottom of her lip to beckon entrance into her mouth. She obliged and soon their tongues began to dance as well. The innocent moment was soon turning into something that if anyone had walked in on it, they would think Serenity a promiscuous woman. Endymion backed away and broke the kiss, before things got too intense for the both of them. He had to protect Serenity’s virtue, until they were married._

_Serenity, however, did not seem to understand the implications of what was going on. She protested the separation and quickly tried to reclaim Endymion’s lips._

_“Serenity,” he whispered his voice husky. “We can’t do this.”_

_“Why not?” she replied back._

_“Because it would be improper,” Endymion said even though a certain part of him was angry at his sentiments._

_“How Endymion?” She asked. “I am engaged to you, and have no intentions of being engaged to anyone else but you. So, please, my love….”_

_That worked on Endymion’s self control. It had been weak before, but now as he stared into Serenity’s eyes he saw how badly she did want this moment. And she had just said that she wouldn’t be anyone else’s but his…_

_His control snapped and he swept Serenity’s lithe form back into his embrace and claimed her lips as his own again. He was sure to make this a night that she would never forget…_

**_*End of Flashback*_ **

Endymion snapped out of his mental reverie of the past when a commotion was heard from outside his bedchamber.

“Who the hell are you?!” He heard Minako exclaim.

“Let me through!” An unknown voice exclaimed in response.

“Tell us who you are!” Kunzite’s voice boomed.

The identity of who they were yelling at was soon revealed as a woman crashed into Endymion’s bedroom in a heap of pink hair. Endymion sat up and looked over to the woman who had interrupted his privacy.

“Endymion, we tried to stop her, but she insisted that she see you,” Kunzite explained to him. Endymion waved his hand to stop his explanation he didn’t care about that, he cared more about who had just crashed into his room and why?

The woman stood up and brushed off the black gown that she wore and stared at Endymion with red eyes. There was something about this woman that looked familiar. Her hair was done in a similar style to Serenity’s, but her meatballs were more pointed than round.

“Who are you?” He asked.

“So this is how I find the future King of Earth,” the woman remarked. “Sitting on his ass in bed, daydreaming, when his love is out there reversing all that he has done!”

“Excuse me?” Endymion sharply asked standing up from his bed. “Didn’t anyone tell you to respect royalty? Who the hell are you?”

“Prince Endymion,” she spat. “I’m surprised you wouldn’t recognize me…but then again I _am_ from the future.” She rolled her eyes.

“The future?” Endymion asked confused. What the hell was going on here?

“Yes, the future. Anyway, as to who I am, my name is Princess Serenity of Crystal Tokyo, but please call me Black Lady. I’m your daughter.”


	4. Gone

_Feeling overwhelmed I take a dive_

_To a once overfilled but now empty place to hide_

_The day you turned on me is the day I died_

_And I’ve forgotten what it’s like_

_What it’s like to feel alive_

_~Gone ~Daughtry_

* * *

 

**_*Flashback*_ **

_Serenity felt warm. Not a fever type of warm, but a feeling of completeness. Her mind was in a complete fog as she tried to make herself wake up from her dream like state. Even though, a part of her knew that the dream like state would continue even if she woke up. It had to deal with the warmness of being complete and the reason for that warmness was lying right beside her. Or at least, she thought as she felt for his warmth, was supposed to be right beside her._

_Serenity frowned as she realized that there was no one beside her in her bed. She opened her eyes and turned over to find an empty bed. The sheets were rumpled from where his body had been and in his place, lying innocently on the pillow was a note and a single red rose. Her eyebrow rose, piqued with interest as to why Endymion was no longer there with her. Drawing the sheets tight around her form, she reached out to take the note from the pillow. Raising it in front of her face, her eyes quickly scanned the lines._

My dearest Serenity,

Please do not fret at my absence when you awake. If I could, I would stay in bed with you all day. But alas, there is much work to be done.

Your mother is happily throwing us an engagement party in our honor. The masquerade dance will be this evening, and I will come for you then.

Until then, my love, please know that you are always in my thoughts and heart.

Forever yours,

Endymion

 _Serenity’s frown quickly turned to a smile. Endymion sure knew how to make a girl feel desired. A knock on the door alerted Serenity to the fact that she should have been up a half hour ago. Quickly placing the note in her beside drawer she called for whoever was at the door to come in. Her maid walked in, prattling on about how Serenity should be up and about on this wondrous day. But Serenity wasn’t listening; instead she was daydreaming about Endymion._ Her _prince and how dashing he was sure to look in a tuxedo._

* * *

_Later that night, Serenity was back standing on her balcony. Her hands gripping the railing so tightly that her knuckles were turning white. Very soon a maid would come to lead her from her rooms and down to the extravagant event that her mother was hosting in the ballroom downstairs. The invitations had gone out that morning, and no one understood what was going on. They understood that it was a special occasion, but they didn’t know that Selene was going to announce her daughter’s engagement to the Earth prince. That was the reason, Serenity had told herself, as to why her stomach was tying itself into a bunch of knots._

_“Princess Serenity?” The maid softly said from behind her. “Your mother is requesting that you make your entrance downstairs.” Serenity nodded as she took one last glance at the beautiful planet Earth. It was time to face her fears. The kingdom could say what they want about her engagement. It didn’t matter, because she was happy and she was in love. That was all that matters._

_She turned to follow her maid, the white silk gown she was wearing swirling a bit at her feet at the movement._

_“Don’t forget your mask,” the maid said picking up the item from her dresser and handing it to Serenity to put on. Serenity hesitated for a moment. Why was she even bothering with a mask? The whole kingdom would know that the one behind this white-feathered thing was her. She sighed in protest but eventually placed the mask over her face and had the maid tie the silk ribbons together to hold it in place. Running her hands along the tight bodice of her gown she took a quick look at herself in the mirror._

_“You look beautiful, Princess,” the maid said from beside her and then ushered her out the door and down the hallway to the staircase that would mark her entrance to the grand gala down below. Taking a quick breath to reassure herself that this was all for her happiness and no one could take it away from her, she slowly began her descent on the grand staircase. Her white laced covered hand lightly touching the banister as she went._

_The noisy commotion below began to silence itself as she entered into view of the guests. All eyes were on her and Serenity couldn’t help but feel her face flush at the attention. After what seemed like hours, she reached the bottom of the staircase to have a man in a classic tuxedo and an almost matching hers white mask meet her. He strode forward from the rest of the crowd and bowed to her. She curtsied in response and offered the man her hand. He took it in his own and quickly placed a kiss on her knuckles._

_“Princess Serenity, may I have the honor of escorting you?” The deep voice of Endymion asked her. Serenity smiled and nodded. He led her deep into the ballroom and the quartet began to play music. A few couples dared to begin dancing and the commotion from before resumed. Endymion placed his left hand on her waist and took her right hand in his hand. They began to dance with the rest of the guests._

_“You look beautiful,” he whispered into her ear. The smile before still graced her lips but now it grew bigger at the complement._

_“Thank you,” she replied. “And you look just as dashing as I thought you would in a tuxedo.” A grin crossed his lips._

_“As you thought I would?” He asked. “Have you been thinking about me, Serenity?”_

_“Oh, stop it, Endymion,” she said wanting to hit him for his inflatable ego. “Why shouldn’t I be thinking about my fiancé? I missed you this morning.”_

_Endymion drew her in closer to him, “I missed you too, Serenity,” he whispered his voice growing husky. “Never doubt that. You will always be on my mind, dear one. I’m not sure how long I can last without you by me every second of the day.”_

_“Soon it won’t matter, will it?” Serenity asked. “We’ll be married and then you won’t be able to get rid of me. Even though I’ll probably drive you crazy that you would want to get rid of me.”_

_He chuckled, “You will drive me crazy, love, but not enough for it to come to that. I promise you it will never come to that.” She leaned her head onto his chest, knowing that it could only get better from here. She was content being in his arms like this. It made her feel whole. So very whole._

**_*End of Flashback*_ **

Usagi groaned as she came back to consciousness. Her head was killing her and she hadn’t even opened her eyes yet.

“Usagi?” A unison of voices broke through the last haze of her unconscious state. Her eyes flickered open and were met with five pairs of concerned eyes looking down at her. _So it had been a dream,_ she thought as she slowly rose from her horizontal position. She looked around to see that she had been laid out on the floor of the arcade. She must have fell to the floor when she had lost consciousness.

“Princess Serenity?” The boy, Helios, asked concern in his tone. “I hope I did not distress you so with my news.”

“Distress her?” Haruka retorted. “She freaking passed out for God’s sake!”

“Helios, you had no right to tell her of what the future entails,” Setsuna chastised the boy.

“Unfortunately, Sailor Pluto, I did have a right,” Helios replied calmly and unfazed by the two Senshi’s reactions. “If I did not tell her she would have found out and not from a source she would have liked to hear it from. It was best for her to hear from me, so now she has time to prepare for what is to come, and maybe she can change the future.”

“The future isn’t set in stone,” Usagi whispered. The same five pairs of eyes all looked to her as if remembering that she was still there.

“Exactly, Princess,” Helios smiled. “If there is anyone in the world who can bring Endymion back to this side of Light it is you. You are the invincible Sailor Moon after all.”

“Invincible,” she scoffed. “Yeah, right.” Very carefully, she got up from the floor and turned to walk out of the arcade. She needed to be by herself right now. Haruka made a move to stop her, but Michiru and Setsuna stood in her path.

“Let her go, Haruka,” Michiru said. “She needs to process what she just heard and she needs to decide what she’s going to do about it. “

“But what about Endymion?”

“She can protect herself,” Setsuna replied. “Now, Helios, what do you mean Usagi would have found out about the future from a source she wouldn’t have liked to hear it from?”

“I’m not the only person from the future that is here, Sailor Pluto,” he replied looking at the remaining Senshi. “Serenity and Endymion’s daughter is here as well.”

“Serenity and Endymion’s _daughter_?!” The three exclaimed in unison.

Helios only nodded his head.

“So when you said that Serenity turns to the Darkness, you meant that she still marries Endymion, but instead of bringing an era of peace she brings an era of…”

“War and destruction,” he whispered. “It isn’t a pretty sight, Outer Senshi, that is why I felt that I should come to the past to maybe help her change the course of what happens. Unfortunately, Small Lady found out about my plan and tried to stop me and in the process also came through the time portal.”

“But where is she then?” Michiru asked.

“I fear that she has gone directly to Endymion,” Helios hung his head in despair.

“But then he’ll know about what Serenity will be trying to do,” Haruka countered. “He’ll try to stop her in any way that he can.”

“Yes,” Helios agreed. “But doesn’t he already try to stop her from cleansing this city of the dark cloud? What is the difference?”

“The difference is that this could endanger the whole planet, not just the people of Tokyo!” Haruka exclaimed.

“That’s why she cannot fail, Princess Uranus, because everyone’s lives are in the balance including her own.”

* * *

Usagi found herself walking with no idea of where her feet would lead her. Her mind was too preoccupied with what had been revealed to her over the course of the past twenty-four hours. Mamoru still existed within Endymion’s soul, in the future she had failed in her mission to kill Endymion, and despite the many protests and denials she had used over the course of the past five years she had turned to the Darkness. Usagi was holding herself tightly in an attempt to keep herself from falling apart, but she knew that no matter how hard she held herself, eventually she would break into a million different pieces.

It was inevitable. The odds were seriously stacked up against her. Endymion had the Inner Senshi, the Shitennou and the power of Darkness. What did Usagi have? Sure she had the Outer Senshi and the power of the Silver Crystal but so what? She also had the knowledge that Endymion was going to succeed in turning her to the side of the Dark. That knowledge didn’t really encourage her to fight. If anything it made her wonder why she was even trying considering no matter what she did she was going to lose. What was the point?

For what seemed like the millionth time since she found out that she was Sailor Moon and the Princess of the Moon she wished that she could be a normal teenaged girl. Yes, a teenaged girl went through drama, but not drama this intense.

Usagi sighed and looked around her. She wasn’t moving anymore and was now standing at the entrance to the park. A small sad smile slipped its way across her lips. No matter what was going on, she always came back here. Multiple youma battles, so many run ins with Mamoru before he had turned to the side of Dark and of course, she thought walking deeper into the park, the promise she had made herself when Mamoru had turned to the Darkness. It was quite easy to find that tree that she had stood at the day after she had found out that Mamoru had been brainwashed by the Dark Kingdom and was being used as one of Queen Beryl’s pawns.

She stood in front of it now, and stared up at the mighty cherry blossom tree. On its bark was a heart and the initials _MC + UT_. She had carved those initials into the tree bark herself. She remembered that day so very clearly.

**_*Flashback*_ **

_She sat underneath a tree in the park. Her mind nearly exploding from processing what had happened the night before at the salon. She had nearly been killed by a youma and instead of Tuxedo Kamen saving her, he had helped the youma in trying to destroy her. She had thought the Dark Kingdom had killed him when they had taken him that horrible day at Starlight Tower. But no, they had done something, in Usagi’s eyes, even worse. They had brainwashed him. He didn’t know who Sailor Moon was other than his enemy. He didn’t know that he loved her and wanted to protect her with his life. That he had in fact, in the past protected her with his life._

_He didn’t know. He hated Sailor Moon and only wanted the Silver Crystal. Usagi placed her head in her hands and felt the tears come. If Mamoru had been there to see this he would have called her a crybaby. If only he knew how much of a cry baby she had been since that horrible day when she had found out about her past life and had also lost the love of her life to the Darkness._

No, _a voice inside of her said._ You haven’t lost him. He doesn’t remember that side of him, he was brainwashed by Beryl and the Dark Kingdom! You can’t keep thinking this way! You will turn him back to the Light; you will make him remember your lives together! _Usagi lifted her head. The voice inside of her was right. Mamoru wasn’t lost to the Darkness, not yet. She would turn him back, if it was the last thing that she did. She stood up, her head held high and wiped away the tears. She looked up at the tree she had been sitting beneath for the last two hours. Taking out her pocketknife she slowly carved a heart and Mamoru and hers initials into the tree’s bark._

_It would be a sign of her promise to herself. Whenever she was in doubt that she could turn him back, she would come here and find her strength again._

**_*End of Flashback*_ **

Usagi’s fingers traced over the letters. A promise to bring Mamoru back to the side of Light. How could she have forgotten that promise she had made to herself? It wasn’t in her nature to kill people _especially_ the ones she loved. If she had killed Endymion she wouldn’t have been able to live with herself. It would have been a repeat of what happened back during the Silver Millennium. She couldn’t let it happen. She was Sailor Moon defender of love and justice. She was Princess Serenity of the Moon Kingdom, the holder of the Silver Crystal; a crystal that brought peace and love and vanquished those who were filled of hate. She also held the Moon Wand, the wand that had turned and purified the carriers of the Rainbow Crystals back into humans.

How could she have thought just a few minutes ago that there was no point in fighting? There _was_ a point in fighting. She had to save the people of Tokyo; her loved ones, and the people of the planet since Endymion had so clearly turned his back on it. She would have to remind him of what they had fought so desperately for years ago. Not to mention what they had both died for back on the Moon a thousand years ago. She would have to save him. Not just him, but the Sailor Senshi and the Shitennou as well. She would have to save them all.

A rustle of wind blew through her and lifted her hair up.

 _It’s about time you realized this, my daughter. I have always told you to follow your heart. You can do this._ Her mother’s voice carried on the wind. Usagi closed her eyes. She could do this.

“Feeling sentimental, Serenity?” Endymion’s cold voice asked from behind her. She opened her eyes and turned around to face him. He stood on the bike path, his arms crossed over his chest and his dark azure blue eyes boring into her. She met his gaze, knowing that she couldn’t show him any sign of weakness. He was still Endymion and he wouldn’t falter in taking any opportunity that she would give him to turn her to his side.

“Maybe,” she whispered. “Not that you would know the feeling of sentimentality, Endymion.”

He rose an eyebrow in surprise at that, “I guess I wouldn’t, at least, for this lifetime. As for our time on the Silver Millennium though, that’s just another story. Take for instance the memory I relived this morning. You remember the night before the masquerade ball?”

Usagi’s eyes narrowed. How could he ask her that? Of course she remembered the night before the masquerade. How could she ever forget the night that she had lost her virginity to him? It was the most memorable night of her life back then. But why was he bringing up that night? And why was he standing there so smug? What was he planning?

“You know I can’t forget that night, Endymion,” she replied choosing her words carefully. “But why were you thinking of that night?”

He chuckled as he moved closer to her, “Isn’t it obvious as to why I was thinking of that night, Serenity? You’re back in Tokyo and my feelings for you haven’t changed. I still want you and I know that you want me too. You just have to finally take the plunge and change sides.”

Usagi rolled her eyes. It only took him, what? Five minutes before he brought up her changing sides? He was a broken record and as usual only had his mind on one thing. As he continued to step closer to her, she felt her body transform into her Sailor fuku. Endymion’s eyes narrowed.

“I will not change sides, Endymion,” she said her voice full of determination.

“Oh, I think you will,” he said smirking. Sailor Moon glared at him and before she knew it her leg was propelling upwards and outwards towards Endymion’s gut. As the movement happened, both her and Endymion stared knowing that what she was doing was stupid. Proving their point seconds later, he grabbed her foot before it could reach his stomach. Still holding it, he smiled at her smugly.

“What exactly were you trying to do, Serenity?” He asked. “You’re too slow and can never beat me at hand to hand combat.” Sailor Moon’s eyes narrowed at him. What a conceited jackass! He kept forgetting that he wasn’t dealing with the old Sailor Moon anymore. This was the new, stronger Sailor Moon. She could and would kick his ass. He just needed to make his move.

Endymion grinned as he twisted her foot and then threw her upwards. She somersaulted in the air and would have landed on her head, but instead she reached down so her hand was touching the ground and propelled herself upwards. With the momentum she hurdled through the air straight at Endymion. Her outstretched leg hit him square in the chest, momentarily knocking him backwards. Sailor Moon landed behind him. He turned to face her, a look of sheer amazement on his face.

“That was impressive,” he said. “But you won’t be able to do it again.”

“I told you before, Endymion,” she replied. “I’m not the same Sailor Moon that left here a few years ago,” He wasn’t listening as he tried rushing her. She sighed and jumped over him landing again directly behind him. He turned and was about to attack again when the Outer Senshi appeared beside her and the Shitennou and the Inner Senshi appeared behind Endymion.

“Need some help, Sailor Moon?” Uranus asked smiling at the Inner Senshi menacingly. They all glared at her.

“Don’t,” Moon whispered harshly. “He’s mine, I told you this before.”

“Fine, we’ll just take care of his pals,” Uranus cracked her knuckles.

“Hardly seems fair,” Kunzite snidely said. “Eight of us versus three of you?”

“Don’t underestimate me, babe,” Uranus replied. “I’m about to rock your world.” She jumped up into the air, her hand raised. Neptune, Pluto and Moon followed suit, all knowing what attack she was about to do. Endymion jumped up and flew directly at Moon, knowing that the fight was just between the two of them. She dodged him easily as Uranus exclaimed, “Uranus World Shaking!”

“What the hell?!” Eight voices chimed in unison before they all began to groan in pain.

Moon landed on the ground with Endymion landing five feet away from her.

“You can end this, you know?” He said coming at her again. “All you have to do is turn to the Dark.”

“You can end this too, Endymion,” she replied. “By turning to the Light!” She flipped over him and kicked him behind his knee sending him sprawling. She quickly looked over her shoulder to see a ball of fire heading straight towards her. She ducked and looked to the ground where Endymion had fallen.

But he wasn’t there.

Instead she felt a knee in her stomach, which sent her groaning in pain to the ground. She looked up tears stinging her eyes. Endymion was in front of her. He had freaking teleported!

“Not bad, Serenity,” he said smiling. “But as you can see I’m still better at this than you.”

“Don’t be so sure, Endymion,” she replied her voice hoarse. If he wanted to play this dirty then she would play along. He raised an eyebrow as he leant down to pick her up, but a flash of white light momentarily blinded him. When the light faded and he could see again, she was gone.

“Serenity?” He asked looking everywhere wildly for her. He felt something land on his shoulders and felt himself falling face forward to the pavement below him, fast. He collided and his face hit the rough gravel with a sick thud. Skin was torn open and blood began to trickle down the side of his face. How had she done that? He turned over to see her floating above him.

“You used your wings?” He coughed. He flew upwards to grab her, but she flew out of his reach. He growled. This wasn’t how it was supposed to go, he was supposed to overcome her and make her turn. Feeling the Darkness within, he shot black bolts of energy at her. She didn’t even blink as she fought them back with her white energy. Glancing over he saw that his Shitennou and the Inner Senshi were having a hard time with the Outer Senshi, but both parties were growing weak. He looked up at Serenity. He needed something that would turn the tables and tip the scales in his favor.

Somebody was listening, since within a second, Black Lady was behind Serenity and grabbed a hold of her arms. Pinning them to her sides. Endymion smiled victoriously as he floated to Serenity.

“Let go of me,” he heard her say.

“Ah, what is this?” Black Lady asked. “You’re trying to use the Silver Crystal against me? Your own daughter, how could you mother?” Serenity stopped fighting as her eyes widened. _Your own daughter_? Is that what this woman had said? What the hell was going on? She found Endymion smiling down at her.

“Yes,” he nodded. “You heard right, Serenity. This is our daughter, Black Lady.” Sailor Moon stared at the woman who had held her. She looked exactly like her, only her hair was pink and the meatballs were sharper than her round meatballs. This was her daughter? Helios had forgotten to mention that when she had turned to the side of Dark in the future she also had an evil daughter. She looked over her shoulder to the ground below where the fighting had slowed down. Both sides were growing tired from the hurtle of attacks. Her gaze shifted upwards back to Endymion and her daughter. This couldn’t be happening. They were going to take her. If this woman was her daughter then she also channeled the Silver Crystal’s power meaning that Sailor Moon had no chance. She needed something to strengthen her without turning into her princess form. But what?

The same wind from earlier blew through the trees and Sailor Moon’s hair. Recognition dawned on her face. That was it! Her mother would know the answer to her question.

“I told you, Serenity,” Endymion said from beside her. “You would turn to the Darkness. It was inevitable.” He jumped to grab her, but she whispered something and in a flash of white light she was gone. He looked at the spot that she had been and glanced around confused as to what had just happened. She had been so easily in his reach. He had been so damn close!

Black Lady stared at the man she would call father in the future and wondered what had happened. Her mother, she recalled, had been turned this day. She was certain of it; she had heard the stories so many times. What happened?


	5. Runaway

_I might have nowhere else to go_

_But I know that I cannot go home_

_Listen to the voices trapped inside my head_

_Tell me to run before I’m dead_

_Chase the rainbows in my mind_

_And I will try to stay alive_

_Maybe the world will know my name_

_Why won’t you help me runaway?_

_I can sing for change on a Paris street_

_Be a real live dancer in New Orleans_

_I can start again chose a family_

_I could change my name_

_Come and go as I please_

_In the dead of night you’ll wonder where I’ve gone_

_Wasn’t it you?_

_Wasn’t it you?_

_Wasn’t it you that made me runaway?_

_~Runaway ~P!NK_

* * *

 

Endymion was furious when he came back to the Dark Kingdom. Serenity had been in his grasp. He had been _so_ close! He flexed his knuckles in anger and frustration. His face was swelling from where he had hit the hard gravel and there was dried blood. He looked like he had been through hell and he had nothing to show for his efforts. The Shitennou and the Inner Senshi all exchanged looks and backed slowly away from their enraged prince. After three years and also remembering how he had been during the time of the Silver Millennium, they knew how violent he could be when in this state. The only one who didn’t was Black Lady. She approached him cautiously.

“What the hell happened?” He asked his daughter enraged. “She was supposed to be turned today. You told me so yourself!”

“I don’t know, Endymion,” she answered. “I honestly don’t know what happened. Something has changed, but obviously not something too drastic or else I wouldn’t still be here."

“Where did she go? I can’t feel her anywhere in the city.”

“Wasn’t she able to block you before?”

The Shitennou and Senshi flinched at her statements. If any of them had asked Endymion that question, he would have ripped them a new one. How much leniency was he going to give his own daughter? They waited with abated breath to see how their Prince was going to react to his daughter’s rather interesting question.

Endymion stared wide mouthed at his daughter. She was just like her mother. She knew how to push his buttons and annoy the hell out of him. But he couldn’t help but feel love towards this woman who would be his daughter in the future. It was like having a piece of Serenity with him here.

“When she left three years ago,” he replied quietly. “She was somehow able to block me from finding her. But something is different about this from the last time. It’s like she isn’t even on the planet which is impossible.” Endymion stopped after his last statement and thought hard. Serenity was the princess of the moon; she was also the Sailor Senshi of the Moon. Would it be so ridiculous for her to not be on his planet anymore? But why would she go to the moon? There was nothing there for her, except the ruins of the Moon Kingdom. An endless stream of memories, he would have thought that Serenity would like to forget.

“Endymion?” Black Lady asked, curious as to why her father had gone silent.

“Leave me,” he replied. “I need to be alone to think of what our next move should be.” Everyone in the room exchanged looks of curiosity. Ever since Serenity’s return and even before he had been acting strange. They would have thought that with her return he would have gone back to his dark plotting ways. But something wasn’t right. He wasn’t being as pushy as he had been before. The Shitennou and Senshi shook their heads and walked out of the room to leave Endymion with his thoughts. They hoped things changed soon, or else, their time in Darkness may not last much longer.

Endymion felt the hesitation in his Shitennou and the Inner Senshi as they left the room. They didn’t understand what was going on, and he really couldn’t blame them. He had been acting very strange since she had come back. Usually he would have gone to her home and tried to remind her of what they had shared back during the time of the Silver Millennium. Then he would have taken advantage of her in her sullen reminisce state and would get very close to taking her. But he hadn’t done that. He had only been threatening her out in the open when he thought that he had her alone. He needed to rethink his tactic.

But it was hard to do when he knew that Serenity would be coming over to the Darkness. Their daughter showing up had been the best thing that could have happened for him. It gave him newfound hope that Serenity’s dead serious threats would not come to fruitation.

**_*Flashback*_ **

_“Yes, the future. Anyway, as to who I am, my name is Princess Serenity of Crystal Tokyo, but please call me Black Lady. I’m your daughter.”_

_Endymion felt his mouth open in surprise._ His daughter? _There was no way that this was his daughter. Because if it was his daughter, then that meant that Serenity would give into the Darkness and they would end up together. She would fail in her attempts to kill him._

_“My daughter?” He asked._

_“Yes, your daughter,” she replied watching him. “Don’t be so surprised, Dad. You knew this for a long time that Mom would give into you and the Darkness.”_

_He approached her and took a hand in his. He escorted her to one of the many chairs in his room and sat her down. Taking the chair opposite of hers, he faced her._

_“Tell me what happens,” he said. “How does Serenity finally turn?”_

_“Well, something happened today that causes mom to question everything that she’s been working for. Confused, she wanders around in the park later today, alone. In this state, you attack and capture her. If I remember right, she doesn’t put up much of a fight.”_

_“That’s it?” Endymion asked thinking back on the revelation that Mamoru was still within him. She had said that even if he was there, she would still kill Endymion. She had given up on thinking that she could turn him back. Was she now questioning her strength and ability to kill him? Or was there something else invoking her confusion?_

_“Yes, that’s it,” Black Lady nodded. “Mom eventually gives into the Darkness and fairly quickly afterwards you both take over the world, renaming it Crystal Tokyo.”_

_“Do you know what exactly causes Serenity to become so confused?”_

_“I’m not entirely sure, but I have a vague idea. A young boy named Helios also came back from the future, only he went to warn Mom of what happens in the future. I’m guessing the news that she does give into the Darkness despite all her attempts and fights to stay true to the Light makes her question why she’s fighting for something that’s inevitable.”_

**_*End of Flashback*_ **

Endymion held out his hand and watched as the dark energy gathered there and crackled menacingly. He had been too complacent when it came to Serenity’s return. He hadn’t been his old self and maybe it was because of what had happened the last time he saw her before her disappearance. It was time to stop beating around the bush with Serenity. He was Prince Endymion of the Dark Kingdom for Pete’s sake! He had been able to turn Serenity’s most trusted protectors to the Dark. He had to make sure that her and the remaining Senshi had no chance to fight back. The next time he got her alone, he would take advantage of it. In fact, if she truly went back to the Moon, he will wait for her return and ambush her. He would not falter at her attempts to persuade him of her new inner strength, he would fight back. And he knew that it would be for the future that had to come to pass.

“You will be mine, Serenity,” he whispered to himself. “You can’t fight fate.”

* * *

Usagi landed on her feet onto the cratered surface of the moon. She looked around her and spotted the ruins of her old home. She felt the tears welling up behind her eyes as she thought back to those times and how perfect everything had been before Beryl attacked and ruined everything. She sighed and fought back the onslaught of tears. Now was not the time to be thinking of the past. She had the present and future of her new planet to think about. Helios had to be right. The future wasn’t set in stone. She was the only one who could change the outcome of what was to come, and to do that she needed to seek out her mother for advice on what to do. The only question was where would the spirit of her mother be on this planet?

She ventured further towards the ruins of the once glorious Moon Kingdom. The deteriorating stone pillars were crumbled and laid carelessly around the planet. In the distance, Usagi could see the shadow of a certain flag billowing in the non-existent wind. She sighed in wonder as to how those astronauts hadn’t seen the ruins of her old home. She shook her head to wipe away that thought. It didn’t matter right now, there were more pressing matters that needed her attention and to attack these matters she needed her mother’s help. But her mother’s spirit was nowhere to be found, even as she neared the remnants of her mother’s old prayer room. Surprisingly, some of the room was still in tact. Usagi kneeled down in front of the old monument that had been there before the attack of the Dark Kingdom ruined it.

“Mother, where are you?” She heard herself whisper into empty dead air. “I need your guidance. My heart is conflicted and I don’t know what to do to stop Endymion and the Dark Kingdom’s infiltration of Tokyo and soon the rest of the world. Please, help me.” A single tear rolled down her cheek as she realized how hopeless her situation had become. She was supposed to be strong and able to fight back against Endymion’s advances but somehow being back here made her act like she was still the innocent and pampered princess of the moon. Weak and defenseless. She scoffed at herself. She shouldn’t be acting this way! She needed to be strong so that she _could_ fight back against Endymion. She needed to be strong also to get back her Senshi and make sure that this Black Lady that claimed to be her daughter never came about. The only child Usagi wished to bear would be that of a Light entity, not a twisted creature of Darkness and hate.

“Do not fret, my daughter,” Queen Selene’s voice traveled to her. “I am here and wonder as to why you plead so? Did you not decide only an hour ago that you were going to save Endymion and those he has turned to his side? What has changed?”

“Nothing, mother,” Usagi replied looking at her mother’s spirit. “I still want to save Endymion and those that he has turned to the Darkness but an unforeseen obstacle has intervened to stop my attempts.”

“What is this obstacle that you speak of?”

“Not what, who, my daughter from the future. She calls herself Black Lady. If she is truly descended from me then she has the power to wield the Silver Crystal. I need a way to strengthen myself without turning into my princess form. Can you help me, mother?”

Queen Selene frowned as lines appeared on her temple. She was thinking and Usagi watched the fallen queen waiting for an answer. At least she hoped her mother would have an answer for her. And right now, she would take anything her mother could give her.

“I can help you, Serenity,” her mother finally replied. “But you need to do exactly as I say.”

“I’ll do anything,” Usagi said quickly. “What do you need me to do?”

“To get the power you seek, Serenity, you need to reconnect to who you once were,” her mother said. Usagi raised an eyebrow in surprise. Why would she need to reconnect with her past self? Princess Serenity was weak, innocent and the reason her mother had to send everyone to the future on Earth. If she had been able to protect herself back then, maybe things would be different now.

“Reconnect?” She asked still confused.

“Yes, you have lost your past self through your training over the last three years,” her mother replied. “To obtain the new power you need to turn Endymion and the others back to the Light and to stop the looming future you need to reconcile with the princess within you. You must relive your memories of Princess Serenity, especially the one’s you have been blocking out.”

“This is the only way?” Usagi asked depressed, knowing what was to come.

“Yes,” her mother nodded. “Don’t be afraid, sweetheart. If you can find the strength to stand up and fight Endymion, then you can relive the last days of the Moon Kingdom.”

“Okay,” Usagi nodded. “If this is the only way. What do I do?”

“Just remember. Remember who you used to be.”

Usagi closed her eyes and thought back to the memory she had had when she was unconscious earlier that day. What had happened afterwards?

**_*Flashback*_ **

_Endymion had gotten her alone. She didn’t know how he did it, but one second they were surrounded by the people of her kingdom and the next he was whisking her away to her room. She couldn’t help but giggle at his behavior; her mother was going to announce their engagement any minute now. But yet, he still took her away from the crowds, undetected, and led her back to her room. Where he began his assault on her lips as soon as the door closed behind them._

_“Endy,” she whispered when his lips finally left hers to travel down to her neck. “My mother is going to announce our engagement any minute. How bad would it be if we’re not there when she announces it?”_

_Endymion’s lips left hers and he pulled away from her, “Your mother called me into her chambers this afternoon, she won’t be announcing our engagement as originally planned.”_

_“What? Why?” Serenity asked confused. “Are things between the Earth and Moon really that bad?”_

_“As of this morning, yes,” Endymion replied. “Remember that woman I was hiding from when we first met?”_

_“Beryl, the one who was obsessed with you?”_

_“Yes.”_

_“What about her?”_

_“She saw us together,” Endymion replied. “She was furious, and told me to leave you. I refused, but I didn’t know that slowly she has been turning the people against the moon and my family as well. She is the leader of the underground society that I told you about last night. If our engagement is announced tonight….”_

_“Her forces will attack the moon and there will be a war,” she answered for him. Serenity looked into his eyes and saw the sorrow that he was harboring. He wanted her mother to announce the engagement, but he didn’t want there to be a war between the two planets. He wanted to keep her safe. She cupped his face in her hands, and Endymion closed his eyes at her touch. She knew what she had to do and it wasn’t going to be easy. It was going to break her heart and he would probably fight her to try and make her change her mind. But she wouldn’t back down. There shouldn’t be so much suffering for their happiness._

_“Tell me what you’re thinking, please,” he breathed._

_“Oh, Endymion,” she whispered back at him. “I can’t tell you what I’m thinking about. It’s not very pleasant, and a part of me is crying in despair at the mere thought of what I have to do.”_

_“Crying in despair?” He asked surprised by her response. Why would a part of her be crying in despair? He knew that she wouldn’t be pleased that her mother would not be announcing their engagement tonight, but he thought she would understand the reasoning behind the decision. What was she going to do?_

_“My love, we can’t continue this,” she began. “We can’t continue on with this romance, while relations between our two planets and the people of your planet are in such tatters.”_

_“Wait, Serenity, what are you saying? Are you breaking off our engagement?” He stared intently in her eyes to figure out if she was serious about what she was saying. Her calm blue eyes met his storming azure blue ones._

_“Y-yes, I’m afraid I am, Endymion.”_

_“But why, Serenity?” He asked feeling a part of his heart breaking into a million pieces. She couldn’t do this to him. Didn’t she see how much he cared for her? He didn’t want to be with anyone else. He_ couldn’t _be with anyone else._

_“Beryl will probably find out about our engagement, even if my mother doesn’t announce it tonight. You told me so yourself, that that woman has her ways of finding out things. I will not let people suffer just so we can have our happiness. Please, understand, that I will always love you….” Tears started falling freely down her face. Her heart was breaking into pieces._

_Endymion watched the once calm and collected princess fall apart. She did love him, but she was trying to save his people and her own from a bloody war that was sure to take place if they continued on with their love. She really was an angel sacrificing her own happiness. His fingers brushed across her tear stained cheeks, wiping them away. It hurt him to see her in so much pain._

_“You do realize, there will probably be a war, no matter what happens between us?” He asked her quietly. “Beryl is a ruthless woman, I’m not sure how she has bewitched my people, but she will stop at nothing until she gets what she wants.”_

_“I knew you would try to change my mind,” she replied a small sad smile appearing on her lips. “But we can’t take that risk, Endymion. I won’t take that risk, not when my people’s lives hang in the balance.” Endymion hung his head and looked away from the angel in front of him. He couldn’t deny her anything. He knew it deep in his soul that even though it would be hard, painstakingly so, he would let her go._

_“Serenity,” he began. “If the threat of war passes, and I come back for your hand, will you be my wife then?”_

_“Endymion, I told you before, I have no intentions of being engaged to anyone but you, my love. If our planets become at peace with each other again, we can announce our engagement. But not until then.”_

_He sighed, “If this is what you want, Serenity, then I will let you be. But before I do, will you allow me one last dance?”_

_“Of course,” she replied. He took her hand and led them outside to her balcony. From that position they shared their last dance, their last embrace and their last kiss under the light of the illuminated Earth. As their lips met, Endymion felt Serenity’s tears on his face. He knew then that he had to find Beryl and stop her at all costs, so that way he would be able to get back to Serenity. His one and only true love._

* * *

_The next evening found Serenity standing with her hands clasped in front of her below her chin, staring up at the planet Earth. There was tension in the air, she could feel it, but she didn’t understand why it was there to begin with. She was seeking out solace in the appearance of the beautiful planet hanging in the sky before her. But something was amiss. The once light planet was dark. Something sinister was approaching._

_The ground began to tremble and the sky began to darken. Serenity’s eyes widened as she saw that the darkness from Earth was getting bigger. In fact, as she looked closer she noticed that it wasn’t darkness at all. There were shapes and some kind of dark being coming towards her planet. She turned to leave her room and warn the others but familiar flashes of red, blue, green, and orange made her pause. The Sailor Senshi were already in position, blocking the threat from its entry to the palace._

_Shouts and footsteps began to litter the sound waves in the courtyard that led to the palace. The war that Serenity had feared had begun. Her gaze shifted back to the Earth and she tightened her already clasped hands. If the Earth’s people were here on her planet that meant that the royal family on Earth had been dethroned. What did this mean for Endymion? Was he all right? Was he dead? She closed her eyes but was greeted quickly with images of Endymion’s dead body._ Please, let him be all right, _she thought to herself opening her eyes again._

_She heard metal meet metal down in the courtyard and the bright flashes that signaled her Senshi’s attacks. This was what she had hoped to stop, but somehow it had come to be. Just like Endymion had said._

_A bright flash of red drew Serenity’s attention. A tall woman with fiery red hair that surrounded her like snakes, in a tight purple dress appeared, floating, before her. The woman’s sharp green eyes flickered in amusement. Serenity’s hands clamped over her mouth to stop herself from screaming._

_“Well, well, if it isn’t Princess Serenity of the Moon Kingdom,” the woman said. “What is Queen Selene’s precious daughter doing out on the balcony all by herself while a war is raging around her? Such a pity for a young woman to meet such a sticky end.”_

_“Beryl, isn’t it?”_

_“Ah, so you know of me,” the woman smiled a vicious smile. “I’m very curious to know as to how such a young girl was able to catch and hold Prince Endymion’s eye when he had a woman such as me before him. No matter, I will take care of you now so I can finally have him all to myself.” Beryl lunged forward with her blood red nails extended. Serenity took a step backwards and braced herself. So this was how it was all going to end? After the heartbreaking length she went to last night to make sure that this war didn’t happen? God, she had been such a fool. She should have listened to Endymion._ I love you, _she thought waiting for Beryl’s nails to find their mark._

_But it never came to pass; Serenity opened her eyes and found a red rose at her feet. Beryl was looking to Serenity’s right, her face set in supreme shock. Serenity followed her gaze and felt her heart ache at the sight before her. It was Endymion, clad in his armor, and his face set in total disgust as he gazed upon Beryl._

_“Don’t you dare lay a hand on her Beryl,” his voice full of power rang out._

_“Endymion, you dare protect the Moon Princess?” Beryl asked her voice full of contempt. “She is your enemy! By protecting her you are siding against your brethren, your people!”_

_“My people would not have to chose a side, if you hadn’t brainwashed them to believe and follow your twisted ways!”_

_“It’s because you love her, isn’t it? Endymion, she is nothing. She cannot hold you, like I can. Come, join me and together we can rule both these planets.” Beryl outstretched her hand to him. Endymion jumped and landed in front of Serenity. His cape billowed out protectively in front of her, and he held his sword out._

_“I would never join your side, Beryl. You are nothing, but a treacherous snake.”_

_Beryl retracted her hand, her face twisted with rage. She shrieked._

_“How_ dare _you! Nothing but a treacherous snake, am I? Well, I’ll show you, Endymion! If I can’t have you, then nobody can!” Endymion turned to Serenity and took her in his arms._

_“You have to run!” He exclaimed._

_“No, I’m not leaving you,” she replied._

_“Serenity, please, I love you, but you have to run!”_

_“Oh, isn’t this sweet?” Beryl chimed in. Serenity and Endymion looked up in time to see an energy ball coming straight towards them. He turned back to her, his gaze crazy and threw her across the floor of the balcony._

_“Endymion!” Serenity exclaimed but when she looked up a startling site greeted her. The energy ball that was hurtling towards them, hit Endymion. He had thrown her out of the way to save her. She outstretched her hand, but it was too late. His body fell to the floor. “No…” she whispered and ran over to him. His eyes were closed and his armor was melted. “Endymion? Can you hear me? Please, say something…please…I love you, you fool…” Tears poured down her cheeks and fell onto his face. But he wouldn’t open his eyes._

_Endymion was dead._

**_*End of Flashback*_ **

Usagi opened her eyes as her memory ended. She knew what happened next and she’d rather not relive that moment. She wished she hadn’t had to relive any of that memory. It still hurt, even a thousand years later, even when Endymion was now a member of the Darkness. It still hurt.

“You killed yourself after that,” her mother whispered quietly. “I ran to your room to find you, dead and on top of Endymion’s body. My heart broke at the sight, but I knew I had to avenge you, so I sealed that woman away. But my heart must have been too broken, for the seal I did wasn’t complete and…” Her mother hung her head in disappointment.

“Mother, please, don’t blame yourself. Beryl would have gotten out one way or another. I would still have to face what I am facing now.”

“I don’t want you to make the same mistakes I did, Serenity. I need you to be strong and not falter in your decisions. You have to be sure that saving Endymion and the others is what you truly want.”

“I understand,” Usagi replied. “I want to save him and the others. I don’t want the future that Helios has seen to come to pass. The future is not set in stone. I can change my destiny, I just need the power to do so. You told me that after reconnecting with my past self I would find the power.”

“You still haven’t reconnected with your past self, my daughter,” her mother replied. “To truly connect, you have to relive one more memory. The memory of your last night in Tokyo three years ago, before you left.”

Usagi’s eyes widened in shock, “You can’t ask me to relive that memory. I’ve locked that memory away, mother, and that’s how I want it to stay.”

“What happened that night that makes you so scared to relive it?”

“I’m not…” she sighed. “I’m afraid because that was the weakest I have been ever since I’ve learned about being the Moon Princess and since Endymion had been turned. I don’t want to become that girl again, mother.”

“You won’t become that girl again. You are stronger now. You can relive this memory, dear girl. If you want to save your loved ones from the Darkness you will relive this memory.” Usagi sighed, knowing that if she truly wanted the power to bring back Endymion and her friends from the Darkness she would need to relive this memory. For if she didn’t, what would have been the point of reliving another one of her worst memories from her life? Her mother had been right before, she was stronger. She had actually gotten a few kicks and punches in on Endymion during their fight, hadn’t she? If she had been the girl from three years ago she would have whimpered and ran away.

“Okay,” she whispered. “I’ll do it. Just make sure you have tissues ready.” She closed her eyes again and brought back that night from three years ago. One she had sort of relived before she came back to Tokyo, but not in it’s entirety like she had to do now.

**_*Flashback*_ **

_“Serenity,” Endymion’s cool voice said from the shadows. Usagi looked at him, but for some reason she just looked past him as if he didn’t exist. All the Sailor Senshi had turned; defected to the Dark Kingdom the only one left was her. She was really alone._

_A silence swept over them. This wasn’t how it was supposed to be._

_“Say something,” he interrupted her thoughts._

_“There isn’t anything to say, Endymion,” she replied cold, not caring. He walked towards her, a hand out to her as if to hold her or slap her from this person she was becoming. She looked at him surprised by his reaction. It was his fault that she was like this. If he had just come back to her as Mamoru, she wouldn’t be like this. But he had to continue in the Darkness._

_“Come with me and this will all end,” he whispered in her ear. “Everything would be perfect. We could be together.”_

_“Do you honestly think I would come with you?” She asked. “This isn’t how it’s supposed to be Endymion. You and I both know that.”_

_“And how is it supposed to be, Serenity?” He seethed. “The Light hasn’t done anything for us.”_

_“Hasn’t it?” She countered. “It brought us back, it gave us another chance and you’re throwing it away.” The bed creased as he sat down next to her. It was silent as he thought this over. Then his hand swept away some of her bangs and he took her into his arms. At this point, Usagi was so tired from all the fighting that she didn’t fight him. She leaned her head onto his chest and sighed._

_“I love you,” he whispered into her hair. She sighed again._

_“I love you too,” she replied. “I don’t think I’ll ever be able to stop. But I don’t love this version of you.” After that, Endymion and her sat in each other’s arms in total silence. She was thinking of what she was going to do now. With all of her Senshi turned, surely she wouldn’t last much longer against Endymion and the Darkness. What was she supposed to now? How could she fight the people she most cared about? Would it be best if she just switched sides? No, she thought to herself. How could she think like that? After everything that her and her Senshi had been through it would be a form of giving up if she turned to the Darkness. But really, how was she going to fight all nine of them? She would fall within the week, of that much she was certain._

_“Serenity?” He whispered into her ear. She forgot that he was still here. He hadn’t said much, and she was really surprised considering how vulnerable she was at the moment, that he hadn’t taken advantage of her. Was he changing his mind? Did he regret what he was doing to her? “Tell me what you’re thinking?”_

_Usagi bit the inside of her cheek. He would ask her that, just as she was thinking about turning to the Darkness. She couldn’t lie to him, but in this moment she needed to. She couldn’t let him know how close she was to taking him up on his offer. The only thing stopping her was her family and her friends who didn’t know about the Senshi business. What would they think if they ever knew that she was Sailor Moon? They would think her a coward. Not to mention her mother, Queen Selene, would be very disappointed in her._

_“Why are you doing this?” She heard herself ask him._

_Endymion was taken aback by her question. “Doing what?”_

_“Why did you turn my Senshi against me? Was it in an attempt to make me turn to the Darkness, once they all turned?”_

_“The Shitennou deserve to have their past loves back in their lives,” he replied. “Even though, generally, yes, that was the main plan. With the Sailor Senshi turned to the Dark, you have no chance against us. Why don’t you come with me now? It will save you from so much pain.”_

_"It won’t save me from pain. I’ve already gone through enough pain to last me lifetimes. Was that your plan too? To hurt me?”_

_Endymion moved so he was sitting next to her again. So that way she could see his face and the look in his eyes. It was pained and angry._

_“How could you even think that?” He asked her. “I would never hurt you, you know that Serenity.”_

_“You would never hurt me?” She laughed darkly. “Then what do you call the last year of your torture? Just fun and games?”_

_“No, the last year has been for the greater good,” he replied his tone deadly serious. He didn’t like it when she accused him of doing things he didn’t do. It angered him and made him want to teach her a lesson._

_“The greater good?” She repeated not believing what she was hearing. “Kind of hard to do things for the greater good when you’re on the side of the Dark, don’t you think, Endymion?”_

_“Serenity,” he growled. He was losing his patience. Why couldn’t she just admit that she was on the wrong side and join him? He needed her. He wanted her. His hand snapped forward and grabbed her wrist. Somewhere in the midst of their arguing, she had gotten up from the bed and was pacing in front of him. Usagi’s eyes opened in shock at the contact of his hand. It wasn’t like how he touched her before. It was commanding. It hurt._

_She looked into his frenzied eyes, now noticing something that she had noticed before. He was angry, and he wasn’t going to hear anymore of her complaints tonight. He was going to take her. Part of her quivered in anticipation at them finally being together again in_ that _way. But another part of her, this one the more vocal, was screaming at her to get out of there. Things weren’t going to end well if Endymion was this angry. Yes, he had said that he would never hurt her. But could she really trust a man who was too deep in passion and Darkness? As she looked deeper into those eyes she realized the answer to her question._

_No, she couldn’t._

_She tried to wrench her wrist out of his grip, but he strengthened the grip he had. She wasn’t going to get away from him so easily. He yanked her forward, closing the distance between them. Endymion took his free hand and traced the contours of her face. The lightness of his touch made her body ache for more. She knew she needed him; it was obvious they were supposed to be together, but how could they when he was like this? His lips were on hers before she could think clearly to the answer of her question. He had a knack for making her judgment cloudy when he kissed her. He knew that._

_So much for not taking advantage of her in her delicate state. Somehow she didn’t care though, as she found herself kissing him back like she had done a thousand times before. Endymion grinned into the kiss, as he removed his hand from her wrist. His hands drifted down to her hips, he gripped them tightly and lifted her back onto the bed. He quickly covered her body with his own, and started kissing her more feverently. The hands that had gripped her hips just moments before were now playing with the hem of her white tank top. He lifted it up and Usagi, not really knowing what she was doing lifted up her arms and the tank top soon fell to the floor. Endymion drank her in hungrily._ Not like he hasn’t seen this before, _Usagi couldn’t help but think before she lost herself to his touches._

_Before she knew what had happened, there was nothing between them. Her flannel pajama bottoms were gone. His shirt and pants were gone. Her bra and panties were gone. And somehow, she hadn’t seen Endymion take off his boxers. She had been too caught up in what they were doing. His kisses were driving her mad. His hands on her naked flesh caused her to shudder in ecstasy. He wanted her and she wanted him. Until she realized what she was about to do with whom. She didn’t want this. She didn’t want to lose her virtue to Prince Endymion of the Dark Kingdom. Especially, when he was trying to convince her to turn to his side, taking advantage of her weakness. How had she let things go this far?_

_“Mamoru,” she whispered as his lips kissed her bare breast. “Maybe we shouldn’t…”_

_He looked up at her with those azure blue eyes. But something was brewing there. Something that made Usagi afraid of the person who was on top of her, lust and victory. He thought he had won because he was so close to taking her. But somehow, Usagi had to find a way to stop him._

_“Nothing can stop me now,” he whispered his voice husky. “You are mine, Serenity. I will finally have you. Like it was supposed to be from the very beginning.” Usagi’s eyes widened as she felt his hardness right_ there _. She closed her eyes and bit the inside of her cheek hard, drawing blood. This had to be a nightmare. This wasn’t happening._ No, no, NO! _She felt herself screaming. She couldn’t let this happen. There had to be some way to stop him. But that look…nothing would stop him. Yet, she knew that she couldn’t let this happen. How could she stop this?_

 _Warmth that resembled that of the Silver Crystal filled her. That was it! Her eyes snapped open and she called out to the Silver Crystal with her mind._ Please, there’s got to be a way to stop this. Get me out of this situation, I plead with you Silver Crystal! _She waited with her eyes closed, but nothing happened. Of course, the crystal would fail her in her greatest time of need. She opened her eyes to see Endymion looking at her._

_"Serenity,” he whispered. “I love you.” The hardness moved further, very slowly. She looked away from him. She didn’t want this. But there was nothing to do to stop him. He was going to take her…_

_The hardness stopped moving._

_“What the-” She heard Endymion say before there was a flash of white light. Usagi felt herself transported away. When she reappeared she was fully clothed and standing in her Aunt and Uncle’s house in Los Angeles. How had she gotten here?_

_That familiar warmth filled her again. The Silver Crystal. She should have known that it wouldn’t fail her in her time of need. She smiled. This is what she needed. Time away from her life in Tokyo. A fresh start._

**_*End of Flashback*_ **

She opened her eyes and felt the tears that she had been crying dried on her cheeks. Her mother’s spirit was looking at her in shock. Had her mother watched her memory with her?

“Mother?” Her voice cracked. Her throat was dry.

“Serenity, I had no idea that Endymion had gone to such lengths to get you to change sides. When you left Tokyo to go to LA I thought that it was because all the Senshi had turned and you needed time to come up with a new plan away from them. But this…” she sighed. “What has Endymion become?”

“A twisted being of the Dark,” Usagi replied. “But he can be saved. Mamoru is still within him. It may be deep down in his soul, but he is there. I saw it myself. So, please, mother, now that I have reconnected with myself how do I obtain this power to bring him and the others back?”

“You already have it,” she whispered. “When you used the Silver Crystal to get yourself out of Tokyo three years ago, you sensed that warmth?”

“Yes, but how does it work?”

“The warmth was a part of your new transformation. Now, all you need to do is manifest it so that way it channels through you and makes you stronger without draining your strength like your princess form does.”

Usagi stood there figuring out her mother’s words. The power she felt three years ago had felt like the Silver Crystal, but it was something more. Even three years ago, the crystal must have known that she had been stronger. And she was, wasn’t she? She had stood and fought Endymion and his Shitennou for a whole year before he had taken the Senshi and turned them against her. And even then, she had still stood and fought against them until she couldn’t take anymore and left. Now, she needed to go back and take back what was hers. The warmth from three years ago filled her body. She knew what she had to do now.

“Thank you, mother,” she said smiling. “I know what I have to do now, and I will succeed.” In a blink of an eye, she was gone. Leaving behind her mother who simply smiled.

“Be strong, my daughter, and good luck.”


	6. Master Plan

_You runaway from everything that you fear_

_So afraid don’t want to be apart of it_

_You see the fake in everything that is real_

_You hate the paradox; you put us in a box_

_We don’t define what makes us right or wrong_

_Waste of time though we’re just living it_

_I want to see you, touch you one on one_

_Let’s stop until we’re done_

_We’ve only just begun_

_We are the face of the new generation_

_We are the ones who have no reservations_

_Don’t give a damn about your co calculations_

_Welcome to the master plan_

_Don’t care if you understand_

_~Master Plan ~Adam Lambert_

* * *

 

If a citizen of Tokyo had been looking outside their window after one in the morning that night, they would have seen a flash of white light. However, if they had blinked, they would have missed it. It happened that quickly. What they didn’t know was that in that light, was their beloved city protector, Sailor Moon. Sailor Moon had just come back from an interesting trip down memory lane back on her home planet, and as she reappeared in the park that she had just left hours ago, she fell to her knees. That trip to the moon had drained her of any remaining strength that she had possessed. She was now totally exhausted, and if Endymion happened to come by, she would have been in a lot of trouble. She wouldn’t have the energy to fend off his advances.

She willed her Sailor fuku away and reverted back to her street clothes. Usagi couldn’t help but laugh at her desperate situation. She had gone to the Moon looking for power to return her beloved ones back to the side of Light, and now here she was totally drained. Yes, she was in possession of that power, but she was in no condition to wield it. She sighed and lifted herself off the ground. Someone was here, she felt the hair on the back of her neck stand up in warning. It wasn’t Endymion though, of that she was certain. This was a different type of prickle. The person watching her was friendly. Or at least she hoped so.

She turned around hesitantly, and let out a sigh of relief. “What are you doing here, Motoki?” She asked as he walked out of the shadows.

He smiled at her, “Haruka and the others told me that you left for the Moon. I saw the bright light a few minutes ago, and came to see how you are. You look really pale, are you alright?”

“I’m fine,” she replied. “Just a little tired from the journey is all. Going to the Moon especially after a fight with Endymion and coming back works a bit on your nerves.” She swayed a little, as she felt dizzy with exhaustion. Motoki came forward and steadied her by having her lean on him. He didn’t show it, but he felt afraid. The last time he had seen her like this was back when her and the other girls had been fighting Endymion and his Shitennou almost every night. It unnerved him to see her like this when she had only been back in Tokyo two days. Something needed to change and change quickly.

While Motoki was trying to contain his fear, Usagi felt another prickling sensation on the back of her neck. It still wasn’t Endymion, but this time it wasn’t friendly. She felt the familiar hum of the Silver Crystal and knew exactly who had shown up. She needed to get Motoki out of there.

“Motoki,” she said bringing his attention to her. “I need you to run, now.”

“What? Why?” He was confused as to what was happening.

“Someone from the Dark Kingdom is here,” she explained. “I don’t want you to get caught in the crossfire. Please, get out of here now.” She stood on her own. He looked at her, still undecided if he should stay. She had told him to leave, but he knew that Usagi was tired. Could she really face on of the Shitennou or Endymion right now? As he deliberated, a black bolt of energy came rushing towards him. Usagi began to shine in a halo of white light and she stood in front of him, blocking the bolt’s path.

“What are you still doing here? I’m serious, Motoki, RUN!” She exclaimed, looking at him with eyes that burned seriousness. She turned back to the person who had flung that black bolt of energy, and Motoki took the opportunity. He ran as fast as he could. He should have known better than to doubt Usagi’s strength. If someone she cared about was in danger she somehow found the will to protect them. He just hoped that she would be able to hold this person off until help came.

“You know, mother, your attempts to save the people of Tokyo are really sad,” Black Lady said as she hovered in the air. “But then again, Dad did always say that your heart was too big when you were on the side of the Light.”

“Black Lady,” Usagi greeted. “What are you doing here?”

The girl smirked, “What no little speech about how I shouldn’t be throwing dark energy bolts at your friends? I’m disappointed, mother. I was actually looking forward to those corny speeches that father and the Shitennou told me all about when I was younger.”

“You didn’t answer my question.”

“Hmph. Fine. If you’re going to be such a party pooper,” the girl landed in front of her mother, her pink pigtails flowing out behind her in the wind. “I’m here, mother, because I know for a fact that you were turned to the side of Darkness this day. And since I want my future to be set in stone, I’m going to capture you and take you to the Dark Kingdom myself.”

“And what makes you think you’ll be able to capture me, Black Lady?” Usagi asked. “If your father, the Shitennou and the Inner Senshi haven’t been able to, why do you think you can?”

“I’m glad you asked,” the girl smiled. “And I will happily tell you why. It’s because of the fact that I have something that they don’t have.”

“Oh? And what’s that?”

“The Silver Crystal of the future,” her smile broadened and her hands reached up into the sky. Usagi sighed and was once again in her Sailor fuku. So much for being able to rest for a while…

The Silver Crystal appeared in Black Lady’s hands, but something was different about this crystal then the one that Sailor Moon held. It was darker, and no longer gave off that insanely bright light that it was supposed to. Moon sighed, an after effect possibly of being turned to the Dark side. Her crystal must have been tainted with the Dark power. _No matter_ , Moon thought to herself, because she knew a secret that obviously she hadn’t told her daughter in the future. The crystal wouldn’t work here.

“Are you afraid, mother?” Black Lady asked.

“No,” Sailor Moon answered honestly.

“Well, you should be!” The girl began to channel the power of the crystal.

“Go ahead,” Moon said standing with her arms open in a welcoming gesture. “Give it your best shot.” Black Lady was taken aback by the action, but didn’t stop her efforts. She tried to shoot some of the power she was channeling at her mother but nothing happened. She tried again, but still the same result. What was going on here? Why wasn’t the crystal channeling its power?

“In case you haven’t figured it out yet, Black Lady,” Sailor Moon said as she took a step closer to the surprised girl. “Your crystal doesn’t work in my time. Apparently, a secret your mother never told you, which I guess I’m thankful for. Since now it’s my turn to teach you a lesson.” The young girl looked up at the sailor senshi of the moon with wide eyes. Sailor Moon was enshrined with white light that was crackling, a skill that Black Lady could only hope to one day achieve. Before her mother could go through with her punishment, she created herself a portal and disappeared back to the Dark Kingdom. There was _no way_ that she was going to tell her father about this.

But it wasn’t up to her, for once she appeared back in the Dark Kingdom, Endymion was reappearing from somewhere himself. He looked over at his daughter surprised to see her there.

“Black Lady, what are you doing here?” He asked. “Did you go somewhere?”

“Um…” Black Lady searched her head for a story to feed her father. She was not going to tell him about her failed efforts to bring her mother back here with her. It wouldn’t end nicely for her. What could she tell him? “I went searching for you. Mother is back from the Moon.” It was a diversion, a really cheap one, Black Lady knew, but it wasn’t a lie. Endymion’s eyes lit up and a smirk appeared on his lips at the mention of her mother. Where had he just come back from? Was he planning something to get her mother to turn? She peered at him intently, hoping he would tell her what he was planning.

“Is she now?” He asked. “Well, that’s interesting, very interesting. How do you know that she is back?”

“Well, you see, I was…” she stammered for a lie.

“Stammering, just like your mother does when she’s trying to lie to me,” Endymion commented. “What are you hiding, daughter?”

She looked up at him totally speechless. How was it this man, even in the past could read her so easily? “I’m not hiding anything from you, dad. Its just…” she sighed in frustration. It looked like she had no choice but to tell him what she had tried to do. “I was waiting for mother to come back from the Moon because I had a plan to try and capture her to bring her back here and have her turn to the Darkness. She finally came back about ten minutes ago, so I was about to use the Silver Crystal but it didn’t work. Mother told me it was because the crystal I have is from the future and it doesn’t work in the past. She was about to do something, when I fled…”

“Hm, so apparently, my greatest addition to the group here isn’t as great as I thought it was going to be,” Endymion mused. “So how does Serenity turn to the Darkness then? How much longer am I going to have to wait?” He ran his hand through his raven hair in frustration. This waiting game was getting old. He wanted Serenity on his side, now. He couldn’t stand another minute without her by his side. It was time to execute his greatest plan yet.

* * *

 

Usagi sighed in relief when her feet touched down on her roof. It was so good to be back home after such a long day. She opened her window and jumped into her old bedroom. Nothing much had changed from when she lived here three years ago. The room was still pink, had a lot of bunnies, and her very comforting moon and stars bedspread was still on her bed. But something was off about the room. She looked around, trying to find what was amiss, but could find nothing. She sighed and made her way to the bathroom. She needed a nice long hot shower. Maybe that would awaken her senses.

The warm water fell upon her skin like raindrops. It caressed her very tired muscles and eased the tiredness out of them. It wasn’t very often that someone went through what she had gone through today. She had found out that in the future she was evil, she had decided that Endymion and the others would be saved from the Darkness, she had gone back to the Moon and relived her worst memories, and she had gotten into a fight with her daughter from the future. _Just another day in the life of Usagi Tskunio, who is also Sailor Moon Defender of Love and Justice,_ Usagi thought to herself as she shampooed her very long hair.

* * *

She got out of the shower twenty minutes later feeling much better than she had when she first walked in. Wearing a pink tank top and her favorite pair of cotton pajama pants she left her wet hair down and walked back into her room. But her senses were bombarded with the fact that something was still wrong. It was almost as if someone had been in there. Someone like…. _Endymion,_ she thought to herself as she smelled that aftershave that he wore. What had he been doing in her room? She searched to make sure everything was still the way that she had left it when she walked out that morning. And it was, except there was something on her bed. It glittered in the moonlight that poured into her room.

Usagi approached her bed and picked up the object. It was a silver charm bracelet with five charms dangling. She turned on the lamp by her bed to take a closer look. One of the charms was a red rose and next to it was the letter E. In the center of the bracelet and next to the letter E was a heart charm. She sighed, knowing that the letter next to the heart was her initial, S. And sure enough next to her initial was a crescent moon. The bracelet was a symbol of their love, and Serena couldn’t help but think that it was also Endymion’s way of reminding her of what they had. She raised the bracelet higher and closer to her face. There was something engraved on the heart.

_You are mine, forever._

Somehow Usagi knew as she read the inscription that Endymion would be coming for her before the night was out. It was how he had been when the Inner Senshi had been still fighting him and his generals three years ago. He always came for her at night, hoping to catch her off guard and with her defenses down. But he hadn’t learned in all this time that her defenses were never down. Not when she knew that he could come at any second and whisk her away to the Dark Kingdom. She turned back to the bathroom, the bracelet still in her hands. If Endymion was indeed going to come for her tonight she needed to prepare. She knew that it might very well be the beginning of their war.

* * *

Endymion appeared in her room a half an hour later. He looked towards to the bed and was surprised to see that Serenity wasn’t beneath the covers like he had thought she would be. But he did notice that the bracelet he had placed on the comforter when he had visited her room earlier in the evening was gone. So where was his princess? He looked up when he heard a throat being cleared. His gaze was immediately drawn to the blonde that was sitting on top of her desk. She was sitting crossed legged, her blonde hair cascading over her shoulders. It wasn’t even in her usual meatball style. Had she been expecting him?

“Endymion,” she said raising her blue eyes from something that she was holding in her hands to his face. He looked back at her, somehow taken aback by her appearance. He didn’t understand what was going on. It was usually him who would surprise her in her bed. But instead, she had surprised him by being on her desk and apparently waiting for him to make his arrival. He blinked back. This wasn’t how this meeting was supposed to be going. He was supposed to be reverting back to his old ways. Seducing her and making her question everything.

“Serenity,” he greeted her walking closer to her. “I see you found what I left for you earlier this evening while you were out.” She looked down at the bracelet in her hands and tossed it into the air.

“Yes, I did,” she replied. “It was quite the sweet gesture, but…” she threw the bracelet at him. He caught it and looked at her surprised by her actions. “I don’t need the reminder, Endymion. I remember our history very well.”

He shrugged and walked even closer to her. The bracelet was unclasped in his hands as he reached for her wrist, “Regardless of whether you need the reminder or not, Serenity, I still wanted to give you something that would remind you of me. Remind you of us and how we could be if you would only just come with me.” He clasped the bracelet and realized that he hadn’t been this close to her since she had first come back to Tokyo a few days ago. He looked into Serenity’s eyes and she was staring right back at him. They were having a moment, something that they hadn’t had since she had disappeared. Endymion raised a hand to cup her cheek when she moved backwards, removing her wrist from his grasp.

She sighed, “Will you ever stop trying to get me to turn? You know I won’t do it. I’ll be just like my Sailor Senshi and fight you until the end. The only difference is I will win.”

“You know you won’t,” he replied. “You’ve seen our daughter. You’ve had a boy named Helios tell you of how the future is. Why won’t you stop fighting against fate? It would make all of this easier, on the both of us.”

“Because, Endymion,” she said her hands now beneath her chin. “I was always told that the future isn’t set in stone. I am in control of my own fate, and I wholly believe that my fate doesn’t include being turned to the Darkness even if there is evidence that says otherwise. But you just watch Endymion, soon that evidence will disappear.” A silence fell over the couple as they both began to think. Endymion couldn’t believe how much strength his precious princess was exerting. Time and time again she kept overcoming even though the circumstances were stacked against her. Where did she get her strength?

Usagi on the other hand had been thinking about what Helios had told her back at the arcade. It was about the Golden Crystal. He had told her that she needed to find it before Endymion did, but Serenity already knew where it was. It was within Endymion’s heart and the only way he was going to find it was if he searched for extra power in a time of need. A time of need, she couldn’t help but think, that would be the final clash between the two of them. She had a very bad feeling she knew what was going to come in the next few days.

“You won’t succeed, Serenity,” his voice interrupted her thoughts. She looked up and into cold azure blue eyes. “You will not succeed in changing the course that has already been set. I will make sure of that, even if it results in me coming in the middle of the night and taking you by force to the Dark Kingdom. You forget, Serenity, you’ve been gone for three years. Three years where the Senshi, my Shitennou, and I have been collecting energy. Energy that we’ve been gathering to turn the Moon Princess who is the strongest willed of us all. I’ve lived without you by my side for far too long, Serenity. I won’t be waiting too much longer.” He turned his back on her and didn’t see how his words had affected her.

For the first time since she had left, Usagi was afraid. She was afraid because she finally saw how crazed Endymion had become. She was also afraid because he was right. She had been gone for the past three years. In that time span, Endymion and the others had probably collected enough energy to turn the whole city of Tokyo to the Darkness. But they hadn’t, because they were saving that energy for her. This was the most unnerving fact of them all.

Endymion turned back to her and put his fingers beneath her chin to force her face upwards so that way she was looking at him. “As of this moment, my love, you and I are at war. And I promise you, I will not be the one who will lose.” With that, he was gone. Usagi took in a sharp breath that burned her lungs. The old Endymion that she had left behind three years ago had finally resurfaced.

And he still scared the living shit out of her.


	7. Light and Darkness

_Light it blisters your light_

_Coming down so bright transformation_

_Turn it up give me some room to grow_

_Turn it up give me the sense to know_

_I have been cold I have been blind_

_You were a sin to change my mind_

_I can’t put my faith in you_

_Turning pages over, runaway to nowhere_

_And it’s hard to take control_

_When your enemy is old and afraid of you_

_You discover that the monster you were running from_

_Is the monster in you_

_Better to hold onto love_

_Better to hold onto love_

_Change will come_

_It doesn’t really matter where it all began_

_All I know I was covered in darkness, covered in darkness_

_~Light and Darkness ~Darren Hayes_

* * *

 

Usagi couldn’t fall asleep that night, and it wasn’t because she wasn’t tired. She was, insanely so, but she was afraid that Endymion would make good on his threat and come in the middle of the night to whisk her away to the Dark Kingdom where she would be turned. She wasn’t about to let that happen, and if it meant foregoing sleep then so be it. She would be able to stay awake, even though she knew the smart thing to do would be to call Haruka and the others and tell them about what had happened, but she didn’t want to worry them. Not until the morning, at least. There wasn’t any reason they shouldn’t get a good night’s rest. They deserved it.

Since she couldn’t sleep, she began to think of what Endymion had said to her. How had she not seen this coming? She should have known her mind games with him would eventually come back and bite her in the ass. Eventually, he would have stopped being so amazed by her return and strength to finally fight back. And as she had clearly seen, go back to his old evil ways. The ways that made her quake on the inside with fear and reminded her of how things had been before she left. _No,_ she bit the inside of her cheek. She would not go back there, she was stronger now. She now had the power to change Endymion and the others back to the side of Light. She knew she could do it. All she had to do was wait for her opportunity….

Her thoughts drifted off to what she had been thinking about earlier that night. Endymion and the Golden Crystal. She knew that when they faced each other in that battle, he would reach down into his heart and seek out the power that lay within him. The moment he did that, things were going to get quite interesting. She didn’t know what was going to happen the moment the power of the Silver Crystal and the Golden Crystal clashed, but she had a feeling it wasn’t going to be a good thing. She sighed and closed her eyes for a moment. She was so tired…. the next thing she knew, she was in a deep sleep.

**_*Dream*_ **

_The city before her was dying. It was slowly decaying, turning to ash before her very eyes. She could hear the screams of the citizens of Tokyo who were also dying. The smell of it all was horrible and putrid. She looked up into the sky and was surprised to see that the cloud that had been over the city was gone. So what was causing the city to die? She looked frantically around her, until her eyes landed on a group of people. The group she easily recognized as everyone she loved._

_She approached them cautiously, but they didn’t even notice her appearance. Their gazes were fixated on the ground directly in front of them. Serena looked closely at Endymion and was shocked to see tears in his eyes. That could only mean…she braced herself before looking at what the others were looking at. When she did, she still wasn’t prepared for the sight that beheld her. She let out a little squeal of shock. The reason everyone was looking at the ground directly in front of them was because it was her body. Her unmoving body. Was that the reason the city was dying? Was this the outcome of the war Endymion and her would rage?_

**_*End of Dream*_ **

Usagi felt herself awaken with a start. She sat up quickly and looked around. She was still in her room, she sighed. This was going to be harder than she thought it was going to be. But that dream! Her mind drifted back to that horrific scene that she had just witnessed. Was it a vision of what was to come? She bit the inside of her cheek knowing what she was going to have to do. Usagi didn’t want to concern them until the morning about this, but apparently, it couldn’t wait. She reached over to her nightstand to grab her cell phone, but stopped short.

On her nightstand was a single red rose. With a shaky hand, she picked it up. It was Endymion’s, she knew with a certainty. But how was it red? Ever since he became engrossed in the Darkness his roses had turned to black. The only time that she remembered them turning back to red was when he had started remembering their history and had temporarily became Mamoru again. And another thing, Usagi looked at the clock, she hadn’t been out that long. How had he come into her room without her knowing it? She would have sensed him and would have instantly woken up at his presence. Unless, the whole reason she woke up with a start wasn’t because of the dream, but because she _had_ sensed him in her room. But he had left before she could register that fact.

She looked at the rose. What was Endymion playing at though? He had just threatened her about forcefully taking her to the Dark Kingdom, and yet he had had the best opportunity to do so. She had been asleep, utterly defenseless. Why hadn’t he taken her? She threw the rose to the floor, totally frustrated and annoyed with her Dark prince. Hadn’t she said when she first arrived back in Tokyo that she _wasn’t_ going to put up with any of his mind games? And what was she doing? Falling for one of his mind games.

Usagi flipped open her cell phone and called Haruka. It was time to end this madness, once and for all.

* * *

“Thanks guys for meeting me so late,” Usagi said a half and hour later. Haruka, Michiru, Setsuna and Motoki smiled at her. When she had called Haruka and asked them to meet her, she had called Motoki too. He was more than happy to open the arcade for them even though it was four in the morning. He wanted to know what had happened just as much as the girls did.

“It’s not a problem, Usagi,” Setsuna replied. “Now, what happened earlier this evening? Did you really go back to the Moon?”

“Yes, I did.”

“But why?” Haruka asked. “Were you running away again?”

“No, I wasn’t. I’m not sure how much you were paying attention to the fight I was having with Endymion, but something happened. In the middle of our battle, a woman showed up. A woman who looks exactly like me. In fact, she’s my daughter from the future.” She looked at the girls and Motoki to see their reactions to this piece of news. But she was disappointed by what she saw there. They weren’t surprised. Not in the slightest. “Wait, why aren’t you guys surprised by this? Do you know something I don’t?”

“Well,” Michiru responded in her soft voice. “Please don’t be angry with us, Usagi. But after you left the arcade this afternoon in such a hurry, Helios stuck around and talked to us some more. He told us that he wasn’t the only one who made the journey to the past. Your daughter tried to stop him from coming, and ended up coming with him. However, instead of showing up with Helios, she went straight to Endymion and the others.”

“So even though Helios came to warn me and help me change the course of the future, Endymion is also going to know what I’m going to try to do and try to stop my efforts?” Usagi hung her head. “Well, that makes things so much _easier_. I wonder how much Black Lady told him of the future?”

“Well, obviously he knows that you’re going to turn to his side eventually,” Setsuna replied. “Has he upped his attempts at trying to turn you?”

“Not really,” Usagi replied.

“Hang on a second, Setsuna,” Haruka interrupted. “Usagi was telling us about what happened this evening during the battle she was having with Endymion. Please, continue on with that.”

“Oh, well, right. Like I said, Black Lady showed up and was able to still me enough so that Endymion was about to take me. But while this was going on, I was thinking that I needed more power to be able to turn them all back to the side of the Light, and I needed this power without turning into my princess form since that drains me completely. That’s when I noticed a wind that had carried my mother’s voice earlier. I had a brain storm and thought that maybe she could help me achieve what I sought.”

“Queen Selene, may she rest in peace,” the three girls said in unison.

“Anyway, I used my power and teleported myself to the Moon. When I arrived, I immediately went looking for my mother’s spirit, I found her and told her what I needed. She told me that she could help me with what I sought, but to do so I needed to reconnect with the princess within me and my past self.”

“How could you possibly do that?” Motoki asked.

“Well, I had to relive memories that I have been blocking out for the last three years,” she replied.

“Which memories?” Haruka asked.

“The night before the end of the Moon, the night of the end of the Moon, and my last night in Tokyo before I disappeared. Needless to say, it was a tad bit painful experience to relive these memories.” She smiled a small sad smile as some of the memories played again in her mind.

“Did it work?” Setsuna asked. “Were you able to find the power that you sought?”

“It did,” she nodded her head. “Surprisingly, I already had that power within me, I just needed to remember what it had done for me to obtain it again. We now just have to wait for the right opportunity, and then I’ll be able to turn everyone back to the our side.”

“But what happened after I left you earlier?” Motoki asked.

“What is he talking about?” Haruka asked. “What happened earlier?”

Usagi sighed, “I came back from the Moon, totally exhausted. Motoki was there waiting for me, but while we were talking, Black Lady showed up. I told him to get out of there, and I turned to deal with her. The reason she was there was because she knew that I had been turned today and she was making sure that it would happen. She was going to use her Silver Crystal on me, but it didn’t work.”

“Why not?”

“Well, her crystal is from the future, it doesn’t work here in the past. It’s also because the crystal of the future and the crystal of the present can’t be used while they’re in such close proximity to each other,” Setsuna answered for her.

“Exactly,” Usagi nodded. “She disappeared before I could do anything in retaliation. So I went home, but when I got home something was wrong. I didn’t know what and went to have a shower hoping that would help me figure out what was amiss. When I got out of the shower, there was something on my bed. It was a bracelet,” she looked down at her wrist and was surprised to find that she was still wearing it. She showed it to the girls and Motoki.

“Endymion left this for you?” Haruka asked growling a little bit. The others looked at it, knowing just as Usagi did that this bracelet depicted their love. They read the inscription on the heart and all winced. Endymion had always reminded them of a wolf since he was very territorial, especially when it came to Serenity. It seemed that after a thousand years, that aspect of his personality hadn’t changed.

“Yes,” Usagi replied. “Somehow, I knew that he was going to come back, and he did. A half an hour later, he showed up in my room. I told him that he shouldn’t have bothered with leaving the reminder of our relationship. Of course, within minutes he was trying to convince me to go with him. And as usual, I told him no. But something was different this time.”

“What?” Motoki asked.

“Well, he asked why I kept fighting him, especially when I had seen our daughter and Helios.”

“What did you say?” Michiru asked.

“I told him that it was because I was raised to believe that the future isn’t set in stone. I am in control of my own fate and I wholly believe that my fate doesn’t include being turned to the Darkness. Endymion wasn’t too happy with my answer.” She sighed as she remembered how quickly he had transformed in front of her eyes. “The old Endymion finally resurfaced tonight. We are officially at war, and…I’m sort of scared.”

“Why are you scared, Buns?” Haruka asked. “You’re stronger than you were three years ago when you left. You actually fought with Endymion today and almost won! Besides you also have us on your side. We’re stronger than his little followers. You don’t have any reason to be afraid.”

“Yes, I do!” Usagi exclaimed. “Endymion reminded me that I have been gone from Tokyo for three years. Three years that these citizens weren’t protected from energy gathering youma! Not to mention the cloud that sits above the city. They have enough energy to turn the whole city to Darkness, but they haven’t. Do you know why?” She waited, but the four didn’t answer her so she continued on. “It’s because they’re saving that energy to use when they turn me to the Darkness. Endymion even threatened that he would take me forcefully from my own home to the Dark Kingdom. I’ve only gotten twenty minutes worth of sleep tonight. And even that was too much!” She slumped onto the table.

“What happened?” Michiru asked, her voice calm and soothing.

“I had a nightmare or a premonition, I’m not sure, about the final battle. All of us were there, but the city was dying around us. And I, I was….” She shuddered. “I was lying on the ground with all of you standing around me. I wasn’t moving. I was dead. I woke up with a start, and was about to call you, Haruka, when I noticed that there was a red rose on my nightstand.”

“A red rose?” Motoki asked. “Like the one’s Tuxedo Kamen used to have?”

“Yes, _exactly_ like those because it was one of his.”

“What? How is that possible? All of Endymion’s roses are now black,” Setsuna said in alarm.

“I don’t understand it either,” Usagi said staring at a spot on the table. “But I didn’t dwell on that too long, I was more concerned about how he left it. I had only been asleep for twenty minutes, and should have sensed him. My only thought is that when I woke up with a start it was because I had sensed him in the room.”

“But if he just threatened you about taking you forcefully to the Dark Kingdom, why didn’t he take you?” Haruka asked.

“That’s exactly what I was thinking,” she replied. “But I’m guessing, even though I warned him when I met him again for the first time, he’s playing a mind game with me. He’s trying to tire me out because…”

“If you’re tired, you won’t be able to fight him off as easily,” Motoki answered. “Damn, he is a great strategizer isn’t he?”

Usagi shook her head. “He always was, even back during the Silver Millennium. But that’s not all. I figured out where Endymion’s Golden Crystal is. It’s in his heart, and he’ll probably discover it on his own while we’re fighting in that final clash. There’s nothing I can do to stop that from happening. In fact, I’m thinking that’s what’s going to cause the city to die.” The group lapsed into silence. She had given them a lot to think about.

“So, what are we going to do?” Haruka asked. “Yes, the Golden Crystal thing is out of our hands but other things aren’t. We can’t have you be too afraid to go to sleep, and with that cloud hanging over the city you’re just going to tire out quicker.”

Usagi didn’t reply as she was thinking about what Haruka had said. The cloud…oh! Why hadn’t she seen it before? “Haruka, you’re a freaking genius!”

“I am?” She blinked.

“Yes!” Usagi exclaimed. “We have to destroy the cloud!”

“Um, I hate to break it to you, Usagi, but weren’t you going to do that anyway?” Motoki asked.

“Yes, but now I have more reason to,” she replied.

“More reason? Care to explain your train of thought so the rest of us can understand?” Haruka asked.

“Endymion said that they’ve been gathering energy for the past three years,” she began. “Well, where could they possibly put that much energy?”

“The cloud!” The three girls exclaimed.

“Exactly, and it works in their favor because not only would it store the energy, but it would gather it for them too. We have to destroy that cloud, now. The faster we do it, the sooner I will be able to sleep well, knowing that they don’t have the energy to turn me.”

“Okay, let’s do it,” Haruka said getting out of the booth. The others followed suit.

“Good luck,” Motoki said and he hugged Usagi.

“Thanks Motoki,” she replied. “You’re a really awesome friend.” He watched the four of them leave the arcade, but he couldn’t help but wonder if this would be the last time that he would see them.

* * *

Sailor Moon couldn’t believe that she was back on top of the tallest building in Tokyo. She looked up at the dark cloud that was swirling a little near the center. She knew what she had to do, she just hoped that Endymion and the others didn’t show up to try and stop her. She turned to the Outer Senshi.

“Okay, you girls know what to do, right?”

"Yes, we’re to stand guard and protect you just in case those assholes show up and try to stop you,” Uranus answered flexing her knuckles. “I hope they do, I really want to punch some sense into that stupid Earth prince.”

“Calm yourself, Uranus,” Neptune said from beside her. “You’ll get your opportunity of they show up, but until then we have to be on our guard.”

“Well, you know what you have to do,” Sailor Moon turned back to the cloud. “I guess I better do my job.” She closed her eyes and searched for the power she had felt on the Moon. Once she found it, she began to channel it. Remembering that the cloud’s weak point was the center, she began to throw power at it. The cloud began to buckle, slowly, but as she threw more power at it, it began collapsing in on itself.

“Look,” Pluto whispered. “It’s disappearing!”

Sure enough, the cloud was shrinking, revealing more and more of the early morning sky, until finally it was gone completely. The sun was just beginning to rise in the east. Sailor Moon opened her eyes and sighed in relief, already feeling better now that the cloud was gone. The people of Tokyo were going to see the sun for the first time in years. She turned back to the Outer Senshi, they were smiling and cheering at her victory.

“Good job, Sailor Moon!” Uranus exclaimed.

“Thanks,” she replied but frowned. “Endymion and the others didn’t show?”

The three girls shook their heads. Sailor Moon’s frown deepened. This was weird. Endymion should have shown up by now to find out what was going on. He had when she had first tried to take on the cloud. What was going on? It all seemed too easy. There had to be a catch somewhere.

“Don’t let it bother you,” Pluto said. “You did a good thing, Sailor Moon. Tokyo will finally be able to return to normal. They get to see the sun again, and you will be able to sleep in peace.”

“I guess so,” she replied. They jumped back across the rooftops, until they reached a low enough roof to jump to the ground from. “I better get home, my parent’s are going to be up soon, and I don’t want them to worry about me.” They all detransformed and went in separate directions.

Unfortunately, Usagi couldn’t take Pluto’s advice. It bothered her that Endymion and the others hadn’t shown up to at least stop her from doing what she had done. Considering their whole future had ridden on what that cloud held and was gathering, they sure hadn’t protected it well. Unless, Usagi was wrong and that wasn’t where they had been storing the energy they had been gathering. Or was this _another_ one of Endymion’s mind games?

In all honesty, Usagi wanted to punch a wall, imagining that it was Endymion’s face. She was so sick and tired of being a pawn in his games. She had also told him that she wasn’t going to stand for any of his tricks. She needed to teach that man a lesson. He was so infuriating….

She stopped in her tracks, a familiar sense prickling in her head. It wasn’t Endymion or Black Lady and it wasn’t the Outer Senshi. In fact, she hadn’t felt this prickling in her head since they had abandoned her for the Darkness. She looked up from her feet when she heard the sound of high heels on the pavement. But it wasn’t coming from just one direction. It was coming from behind her, in front of her, and next to her on both sides.

“Hello, Serenity,” Sailor Mars greeted her. “It’s been awhile.”

“Mars,” Usagi coldly greeted. She looked behind her to see Sailor Jupiter walking up to her. She looked to her left and saw Sailor Venus and to her right, she knew without looking, was Sailor Mercury. She was surrounded. “So you finally decided to come and find out what was going on?” She pointed to the sky above them. The four Inner Senshi gasped in surprise to see the cloud gone.

“How did you do it?” Mercury asked. “It was indestructible.”

“Not against my Silver Crystal, it’s not,” she replied feeling her Sailor fuku appear again. “Now, please, get out of my way.”

“We don’t think so, Serenity,” Venus said. “I’m afraid that you’re coming with us, whether you like it or not.”

“Hmph, I’m taking it that Endymion ordered you to do this?” She asked trying to figure out how she was going to get out of there. She could use her wings and fly up to the rooftops, but how long would she be able to out run them? But did it matter? She just needed to out run them long enough so that the Outer Senshi would catch up to her. It was worth a shot.

“He did,” Jupiter nodded. “But we would have come for you eventually. It is time, Serenity, that you joined us. Imagine how happy we would all be together.”

“Yeah, well, we all know how good you guys were at following orders,” she retorted. “But, if you insist, I will tell you the same thing I tell Endymion every time he tries to get me to turn. Hell will freeze over before I join you. Now, if you excuse me, Senshi,” she bolted upwards before the Senshi knew what was happening. She landed on the rooftop of a building and began running. She knew she wouldn’t out run them, but she at least got a head start. Hopefully, the Outer Senshi would come find her and help her fight her old friends.

She heard high heels clacking on the rooftop behind her. So much for her head start. She ran faster, knowing that this was just the beginning…


	8. Fame

_Baby, look at me and tell me what you see_

_You ain’t seen the best of me yet_

_Give me time I’ll make you forget the rest_

_I’ve got more in me_

_And you can set it free_

_I can catch the moon in my hand_

_Don’t you know who I am?_

_Remember my name, fame_

_I’m going to live forever_

_I’m going to learn how to fly_

_I feel it coming together_

_People will see me and cry, fame_

_I’m going to make it to heaven_

_Light up the sky like a flame_

_I’m going to live forever_

_Baby, remember my name_

_~Fame ~Naturi Naughton_

Endymion waited in the shadows of Serenity’s room, until she fell asleep. He looked around the room, surprised that it hadn’t changed in the three years that she had been gone. It still held bunnies and the room was still painted pink. If someone had looked into the room, they wouldn’t have known that a nineteen year old lived here. As he watched his beloved, he couldn’t help but wonder if she would go to sleep that night. His threat about coming for her in the middle of the night and whisking her away to the Dark Kingdom to be turned to the Darkness, had been a tad bit harsher than what he had intended. But how else was she going to take him seriously? Ever since she had come back from wherever the hell she had gone, she had openly mocked his love for her. She had used it against him, knowing that he wouldn’t hurt her, at least physically. Although, according to her, he had hurt her, every time he tried to turn her. But he still stood by what he had said three years ago; he was doing all of this for the greater good. It was time that Serenity and him were together. He was tired of everyone and everything getting in their way. They _would_ be together, even if he did have to force the Darkness upon her. He had waited five years for her; he wasn’t going to wait much longer.

Speaking of, his eyes flickered to the blonde angel, who had finally fallen asleep still sitting up in her bed. He moved forward, out of the shadows, and came to a stop mere inches away from her bed. It would be so easy to begin something with her, and when she woke up she wouldn’t have any idea what was going on… But no, he had to contain himself. There would be plenty of time for that later. Right now, he needed to scare Serenity when she awoke. She needed to know how close she had come to being taken. She needed to know that she wasn’t safe in her bed anymore. The next time she fell asleep, she would be his.

Fetching into his cloak, he withdrew a red rose. A trick he had learned a few years ago. He was able to manipulate his roses to turn the color that he wanted. He had learned the trick to lull Serenity into a sense of false security, to make her think that he was no longer evil. But he didn’t have the opportunity to use the trick, not until this present moment. He laid the rose on her bedside table. Before he left, he caught a glimpse of Serenity’s face. It was furrowed, something that he found odd considering that she was asleep and should have been at peace. Unless, was she having a nightmare? He frowned, and touched her hand, noticing that she was still wearing the bracelet that he had given her, and instantly a flash of her dream crossed his mind. It was captures of the city of Tokyo, dying. Now, _his_ brow furrowed. Was she dreaming of the future? Or was this something that she feared was going to happen during their war?

Serenity began to stir, and Endymion withdrew his hand before disappearing from the girl’s room. The pictures that he had seen still playing on repeat in his mind when he reappeared in the Dark Kingdom. His daughter was waiting for him, an expectant look on her face.

“Well?” She prompted. “How did it go?”

“My new plan is going along quite nicely,” he smiled forgetting the images for the moment. There would be plenty of time to worry about them later. Right now he needed to tell everyone about his plan that he had come up with.

“New plan?” She asked as she followed him. He walked into the main room of the palace, where his Shitennou and the Senshi were. They looked up surprised at his return.

“Endymion,” Kunzite said. “We weren’t expecting you back so soon. Did you bring Serenity with you?”

“No, he didn’t,” Black Lady replied. “But apparently, he has a new plan. A plan that seems to be going along quite nicely.”

“A new plan?” Mars asked.

“Yes, a new plan,” Endymion smugly smiled. “I went to visit Serenity earlier this evening, and when I did, I gave her a bracelet symbolizing our relationship. She didn’t care for it that much, but as I put it on her wrist we were having a moment for the first time since she had come back. I told her that we could have what we had if only she would join me in the Darkness.”

“Nice job of ruining a moment,” Venus commented. “If I were you I would have kept my mouth shut. Knowing her, things turned interesting.”

“As usual, we got into another verbal sparring match. She is still strong on her conviction that she will win, even though there are signs stacked up against her. I couldn’t help but remind her of that fact, but she said that it didn’t matter, since she was raised on the belief that the future isn’t set in stone. She believes that she will change the future, and soon, all pieces of evidence of the one I want will disappear. I finally snapped at her and told her that she won’t be able to do that, since I would personally stop her.”

“Did she ask how?” Nephrite asked.

“No, but I told her anyway. She knows about the energy that we’ve been storing, and she knows that we won’t be using it on the citizens of Tokyo, but on her, the hardest of us all to turn to Darkness. I sort of threatened her as well. Claiming that due to my impatience I might whisk her away in the middle of the night against her will.”

“Smooth move, genius,” Jupiter scoffed. “You know Serenity doesn’t care too much for being threatened.”

“I know,” he replied. “But that leads me to my new plan. If Serenity thinks that at anytime of the night I can come get her, do you think that she’ll want to fall asleep?”

“No, she won’t,” Jadeite replied. “She’s going to want to stay awake just in case you decide to come for her. She doesn’t want to be left in such a vulnerable state. But what does that have to do with your new plan?”

“If she doesn’t sleep, she’s going to tire out in battle more easily. Making her more effortless to take back here and turn her. The less sleep she gets the quicker she falls in battle. See my train of thought?”

“Yes, but,” Mercury piped up from the corner. “Don’t you think that she’s going to put two and two together? She’s going to realize that that’s your main goal, and she will do something about it.”

“And what will she do? Tell her other guardians about what is going on. Meaning that they’ll watch her in shifts, meaning that they won’t also sleep, and then we can take the stronger Senshi. This plan is foolproof.”

“Another problem though, Endymion,” Zoicite said from beside Mercury. “Serenity will probably figure out that the cloud is where we are storing our energy. You said that you saw her already trying to figure out how to destroy it, she may know how to, and we don’t know what happened on the Moon, or what she has been up to for the last three years. From what we are seeing, though, she has come back stronger than she was before. It would probably take her mere minutes to destroy what we have built up over the past three years.”

“But I thought that the cloud was indestructible?” Endymion asked his brow furrowing. If Zoicite was right, and he usually was, then this did put a hamper into his plans. They needed that energy that the cloud was storing if they were going to turn Serenity, or even the Outer Senshi. Without it, everything that he had been working towards would fall to the wayside.

“It is,” Mercury claimed. “But the problem is, we configured the cloud to be able to sustain from damage done to it done by Serenity’s Silver Crystal. But that was the crystal we knew three years ago. We’re pretty sure, the crystal has grown in strength just like its carrier. If we’re right, then the cloud isn’t as indestructible as we thought. However…”

“However, what?” Endymion asked feverent. He needed that energy if he wanted Serenity in the Darkness. He would do anything.

“However, I think we can configure another cloud that can drain even more energy than the last one, and _would_ be indestructible,” Mercury replied. The group stared at her, even Zoicite, in surprise at her comment. Was it possible?

“Are you absolutely sure about that?” Endymion asked. “You know how much we need that energy, Mercury.”

“Yes, I know, and yes, I am sure,” she replied. “It might take an hour or so, but we’ll get it done. Won’t we, Zoicite?”

“You better tell Zoicite how to do it,” Endymion commented. “Because I have a feeling that if Serenity does figure out that we’re storing our energy reserves into the cloud, she’s going to go and destroy it right away. And I want the Inner Senshi to go after her and fight her until she’s completely drained of strength.”

“Why us?” Venus asked.

“Because she hasn’t fought against the five of you yet, since her return. I want to take her off guard. Besides, not only will she fight against you but she’ll also try to turn you back to the side of the Light with her words. Serenity has only had twenty minutes of sleep today. She’ll tire out quickly, and once she’s done, the rest of us will show up and capture her. That and we’ll reveal the new cloud…” Endymion had a vicious grin on his face as he thought about how it would look to see Serenity on her knees completely drained of her ability to fight. She would be ripe for the taking then. Everyone was staring at him, glad to see that the old Endymion was back. It had scared them to see him so complacent with Serenity’s return. She had literally walked over him as she showed off her strength. Endymion looked back at them and glared. “What are you doing just sitting there? Go do something useful!” Mercury and Zoicite got up and drifted off to their part of the palace. The rest began to huddle in groups, talking about how they were going to face Serenity.

Black Lady stood by the sidewall, her back against it and her arms crossed in front of her chest. She had been watching all of this with interest. This was the Endymion that she had heard about when her parent’s had told her stories about the final days of Light. A grin graced her lips; she couldn’t believe that she was going to be present for the taking of her mother. Now if only she could contribute in some way…

“Black Lady,” Endymion said from beside her. She looked up at him surprised that she hadn’t seen his approach.

“Yes?”

“I need to speak with you,” he replied. “It’s important.” He took her hand in his and led her back to his bedroom. He ushered for her to sit down in the chair that she had sat in when she had first arrived. Hesitantly she took a seat, wondering what he could possibly want to talk to her about. He seemed a little bit worried, or preoccupied, like he had when he first came back from seeing her mother. Had something more happened that he hadn’t told the others?

“You wanted to speak with me, Endymion?” She asked watching him pacing in the room. The expression he had on before was back. Something was bothering him.

“In the stories that you heard about this fight,” he began. “Did your mother and I ever mention anything about the city dying?”

“The city dying?” Black Lady repeated concerned.

“Yes,” he replied looking at her.

“I don’t believe so…” she began to think back on the stories that her parents had told her. Trying to think of one that involved Tokyo dying. Oh! Of course! “Actually, there was one, but may I ask why you’re curious about this?”

“When I was in Serenity’s bedroom the second time this evening, she was having a nightmare. I touched her hand, to try and comfort her, but instead I saw a snippet of what she was dreaming about. I saw the city dying. It was quite frightening. What was the story that we told you?”

“Well, it’s the story of the final battle. I don’t quite remember the details, but something happens to the city of Tokyo that causes it to die, maybe the backlash of the Silver Crystal and the Golden Crystal meeting? But anyway, the city does die and mother is able to stop it, but the city goes to sleep for a thousand years before she awakens it and the new era begins.”

“Wait, the Golden Crystal?” Endymion asked coming closer to her. “What’s the Golden Crystal?”

“Oh,” Black Lady’s face dropped. “I didn’t tell you about that?”

“No, I don’t believe you did.”

“Well, the Golden Crystal is your crystal, Endymion,” she replied.

“My crystal? What do you mean my crystal?”

“You mean you don’t know?” She asked. “You don’t remember your heritage?”

“Obviously not,” he retorted. “So tell me, daughter.”

“Well, back during the Silver Millennium you were Prince of Earth. But you weren’t just the Prince of Earth; you were also the Prince of the Golden Kingdom. The Golden Kingdom resides in Elysion, and has a crystal. From what I remember, during that time your rule was prophesized as being one of great change for the Earth. You were going to bring peace between the Moon and the Earth by marrying the Moon Princess. All of which would have happened if it hadn’t been for what happened with Queen Beryl.”

“What about the crystal?” Endymion asked. “Is it powerful?”

“Yes, it is. The Golden Crystal matches the power of the Silver Crystal.”

“Really?” He mused. If the Golden Crystal matched that of the Silver Crystal, he would be able to defeat Serenity more easily, especially since he would fuel it with the power of Darkness. Serenity would be absolutely helpless. “Where is the crystal?”

“I don’t know,” Black Lady held out her arms. “But…I might know someone who does.” She fetched into her sleeve and pulled out what seemed to be a perfect glass bell. The top was made out of gold and was shaped into a heart. Black Lady didn’t know if this would still work, but she could only hope that it did. She doubted that he would give them any answers, but Endymion would probably threaten him enough to answer his questions. Or at least take them to Elysion. She lifted the bell and swung it lightly back and forth. It brought forth such a sweet chime that Endymion looked at the bell. That sound sounded so familiar.

A flash of white light and a rustle of feathers appeared in Endymion’s bedchamber. Instantly, he held up his hand to block out the light, once it faded he dropped his hand and was surprised to what he saw. A boy, no older than thirteen stood before them, a questioning look on his face. His eyes were almost the same shade of blue as his, and his white hair went to his shoulders. What was most shocking about the boy’s appearance was the golden unicorn horn that protruded from his forehead. Who was this boy? And why had Black Lady called him here?

“Small Lady,” the boy spoke softly, his eyes trained on the woman next to him. “Why have you called me?”

“Helios,” she replied. “Don’t you know how to show respect to royalty? Or have you forgotten over the past day?” Endymion raised an eyebrow at the contempt that he heard in his daughter’s voice. What was this boy to her and why was she reacting so to him?

“Of course,” the boy, Helios, said and quickly bowed to the both of them. “Small Lady, Prince Endymion, you have called me into your presence. May I ask why?”

“That’s better,” she scoffed. “Endymion, this is Helios one of the protectors of Elysion. We have called you here because Endymion wants to know how he can claim what is rightfully his.”

“I cannot answer this question,” Helios replied. “For I do not know the answer.”

“Liar!” She hissed. “You know the answer, Helios! Why else have you come back to the past to stop what is going to happen? Tell us the answer or else…”

“Black Lady,” Endymion interrupted. “Maybe he tells the truth and doesn’t know where the Golden Crystal is. Why are you so quick to doubt him?”

“Because, he knows the answer!” She exclaimed. “Helios is the reason why I am here to begin with. Back in the future, I overheard him talking with another one of the guardians of Elysion that he was going to go back to the past to help change the course of the future. I went to stop him, and instead we both ended up here.”

“I do no know the answer to the question you have asked of me,” the boy repeated again. “Now, if that is all that you needed from me…” he turned as if to disappear again, but Endymion placed a hand on his shoulder.

“Wait just one second,” he said. “I think you are lying, Helios. You _do_ know where the Golden Crystal is, and I will not let you go until you tell me.”

“And what will you do to me, Prince Endymion?” He asked. “Will you really hurt a guardian of your birth right?”

“Not unless you tell me where to find the Golden Crystal,” Endymion replied. The boy looked up at him and sighed. This wasn’t how it was supposed to go. He knew he had to answer the prince’s question or else he could end up being hurt. It was better to send him Princess Serenity’s way; she would be able to fight back against him.

“Very well,” Helios answered. “I do not know where you can find the Golden Crystal, but the person who does and can also awaken it, is Princess Serenity,” in another flash of white light, Helios was gone. Hoping that he hadn’t doomed the princess in trying to escape any physical punishment from the dark prince. After the light had cleared, Endymion looked towards his daughter but didn’t say anything. Somehow he had a feeling that this road would lead him towards Serenity. That’s why she seemed so distressed earlier. She knew where the Golden Crystal was, and it was time that she relayed the information to him. It was his by birth, after all.

Speaking of her, she had just transformed, and he knew that she had figured out their secret. She was on her way to destroy the cloud, and she would be successful in her attempts. But unknown to her knowledge, his group would have a new indestructible cloud put up before she could sigh in relief. This plan was working out better than he had originally hoped that it would.

“Endymion?” Black Lady asked breaking his track of thought.

“She’s transformed,” he replied. “Time to find out if Mercury and Zoicite have been able to create the new cloud. And we have to let the Senshi know that they’re turn to play with Serenity is up.” He walked out of the room, Black Lady on his heels. When he walked into the main room again, the group was wearing smiles of victory on their faces. He couldn’t help but join them.

“I take it the cloud was created?” He asked.

“Yes,” Mercury answered. “Zoi is putting the final touches on it now. We have outdone ourselves this time. And what about you? Has Serenity done what we have predicted? Is she going after the cloud?”

“Yes,” he replied. “I just felt her transform. Inner Senshi, I believe you’re up. You know your orders. The Shitennou and I shall see you soon.” The girls smiled and disappeared into their portals to the surface. Endymion’s smile grew. It was almost time. Serenity was almost his.

* * *

Sailor Moon continued to run from her Inner Senshi. She hadn’t remembered them being so fast! She had thought that her daily sprints to school, from back in the day, would have made her faster than them. But apparently, she was underestimating them again. With a dreaded gasp of breath she picked up the pace to as far as she could go without collapsing. This reminded her too much of when they had staged being against each other, so she could strike out a deal with Kunzite to be taken to the Dark Kingdom to try and save Endymion. The only difference between this time and that was that this time it wasn’t a ploy. It was all real. Her Senshi had turned against her.

“Give it up, Sailor Moon!” Jupiter called from behind her. “It would save you so much pain if you just came with us now.” Moon continued to run, not bothering with a comeback. Where were the Outer Senshi? She had thought that she would be able to outrun the others until they showed up, but maybe it was time to change tactics. Without a second thought as to how this plan was going to work, she stopped in the middle of her run. This took the Senshi by surprise and they almost ran past her. _Almost._

“Finally decided to stop running,” Venus commented. “Smart choice. We might make this easier on you now.”

“Please,” Moon replied. “Don’t insult our intelligence, Venus. We all know you’re not going to make this easier on me. Another order I assume from Endymion?”

Venus shrugged, “Does it matter? Venus Love-Me Chain!” She exclaimed and flung out her chain. Sailor Moon sighed and caught the oncoming rope in her hand. She pulled, catching Venus off guard, and once she got close enough, flipped up and kicked Venus square in the chest reeling her backwards. The other Senshi stared surprised as Venus fell to the ground, and Moon held Venus’s chain in her hands.

“Who’s next?” Moon asked.

“Us,” Mercury and Jupiter said in unison. Mercury threw her hands in front of her, about to shoot out her bubble attack, when Moon looked over at Jupiter who had her hands up in the air motioning that she was about to channel her lightning attack. She frowned. How was she going to get out of _this_ one? She thought quickly, switching her gaze from Mercury to Jupiter. Hm…maybe…. she sighed. It was going to have to do.

“Mercury Aqua Mist!” She exclaimed. Bubbles began to spray out of her out held hands towards Sailor Moon. Moon dropped to the ground quickly. This had better work.

“Jupiter Supreme Thunder!” Jupiter exclaimed, not seeing the burst of bubbles coming towards her. The lightning came streaking down and outwards towards the bubbles. They met each other in a loud spectacle of lights, but the lightning continued through the bubbles, almost as a conductor, towards Mercury. She was surprised when she saw what was happening. How had Sailor Moon figured that out? She shrieked when the lightning hit her and began traveling through her veins. Moon had turned Jupiter’s attack against Mercury. She felt like every single one of her skin cells was full of electricity. She had been electrocuted She fell to the ground. Jupiter screamed in shock and rushed to her side.

“Mercury!” But received no answer. Her enraged eyes looked to Sailor Moon who was now getting up from the ground. “How could _you_?! How could you hurt one of your own?”

“One of my own?” Moon countered. “Jupiter, I hate to break it to you, but the four of you stopped being one of my own when you turned to the Darkness. When you started attacking _me_! In case you forgot, Mercury was injured because you were going to attack _me_ with your lightning. I just turned the tables on the both of you.”

“Well, it won’t happen again!” Jupiter huffed and stalked forward with Venus and Mars by her side. They were all furious that she had hurt Mercury. Moon sighed in annoyance. She should have known that they would come at her harder than they had before. She remembered how it had been when they were all on the same side and a youma or one of the generals had injured one of them. Now she was about to be on the other side of that.

“Mars Fire Soul!” Balls of flame began shooting at Moon, who tried to dodge them, but couldn’t. The flames began to lick at her skin, burning and blistering where they had touched. She hadn’t missed this for the past three years.

“Neptune Deep Submerge!” A voice exclaimed from behind Sailor Moon. She couldn’t help but smile at the voice. It was about time that trio showed up! A rush of water fled quickly over Moon’s body, the flames instantly going out and the skin began to chill. The remnants of the water rushed towards Venus, Mars, and Jupiter. They stood their ground, but began to scream when the water seemed to encase them in a wall.

“Sorry we’re late,” Uranus said to Moon’s left. She turned her head and smiled at the three of them.

“Not a problem,” she replied. “I’m just glad that you guys showed up at all.”

“And miss out on all the fun?” Neptune asked a sarcastic smile on her lips. “I don’t think so.”

“Okay, then, let’s do this,” Moon replied. The wall of water that had encased the other three was gone, but not before leaving it’s mark. The Inner Senshi were dripping wet, and just by looking at Mars was enough to know that they were _pissed_.

“You three again?” Mars asked through gritted teeth. “Don’t you know that this has nothing to do with you? This is only between us and Sailor Moon!”

“Hate to break it to you Mars,” Pluto said. “But if it involves our princess, it involves us too. Especially if your intentions are evil, which they are.”

“Very well,” Jupiter replied. “If that’s how you want it, then that’s how it will be.” Her hands went up into the air again, but this time there was different kind of electric current in the air. “Jupiter Supreme Thunder Dragon!” The scout exclaimed, the lightning came down again, but this time instead of shooting directly at them it formed into a dragon. An attack that Sailor Moon for one hadn’t seen before, but as she looked upon the faces of her friends she realized that they hadn’t seen it either. This was a new trick that Jupiter had learned.

Reaching for her tiara, Moon clamped down on it and brought it off of her forehead. The tiara began to glow, and she threw it at the lightning dragon. A part of her hoped that it would be enough to make it disappear. She didn’t want that thing to electrocute her and the others. It wouldn’t be pretty. The tiara discus flew towards the monstrosity and eventually cut directly through it.

But it didn’t do anything. If anything it made the thing move towards the four of them faster, and the tiara, now crackling with electricity, was coming straight for Sailor Moon.

“Well, that was a bad idea,” she mused as she tried to duck, but like a boomerang it came straight back to her. The discus made contact with her bare skin and the electricity began to course up her arm, making the hair stand up on end. She closed her mouth, not wanting them to get any satisfaction from her screams of pain. The Outer Senshi followed suit when the dragon finally crashed into them. The only problem was, the discus had only been a fraction of what the dragon actually possessed. The pain was worse, tenfold. Once it coursed through them, they all gasped out in relief.

“Feeling sluggish?” Venus asked cackling a little at their predicament. She threw her finger up into the air, “Venus Crescent Beam!”

“Oh no, you don’t bitch,” Uranus growled and drew out her sword. “Uranus Space Sword Blaster!” A rush of light filtered across the ground towards the Inners who were knocked over by the blast.

It went like this for another hour, each party exchanging hits. The only problem was that, unlike Sailor Moon, the others had had a full nights sleep. Moon hadn’t, she only had twenty minutes. If another attack hit her or if she tried to execute another attack, she knew that she would drop like a fly. Had this been their plan? She couldn’t help but wonder as she dodged Jupiter’s thunder attack again. Using Venus’s love chain, which she still held in her grasp, she threw it whipping at Mars who was trying to send her fireballs at Pluto.

She didn’t see Venus grasp for it again, and wondered why it was torn from her grasp. But it happened, one minute it was there, the next it was gone, and before she could figure out what had happened, Venus was flinging it towards Sailor Moon who had no defense against it. The others were caught up with the other Inner Senshi’s attacks and couldn’t do anything to help their princess.

The chain hit her square in the chest, and she was sent reeling backwards, still standing. But it was the aftershocks of the attack that caused Sailor Moon to drop to her knees in total exhaustion. She had felt the same way when she had came back home from the Moon. Knowing that she wouldn’t be able to fight back against Endymion if he had happened her way in that predicament. The only problem was that, unlike last time, there were members of the Darkness here to take her. She had to fight back somehow…

“Well, well, well,” his deep voice said from in front of her. She looked up and was greeted with Endymion appearing before her, with his Shitennou behind him. He was wearing a smug expression on his face. “If it isn’t my dear Serenity. You look absolutely awful. Feeling a tad bit tired, are we?”

“No, not at all,” she replied as she tried to stand, but couldn’t.

Endymion laughed his cold hard laugh, “You might be saying that you aren’t, but your body is disagreeing with you. Why don’t you just admit it, Serenity? It’s over. You lost.” His grin widened as he stepped forward. She didn’t notice but the Outer Senshi had moved from their positions to stand in front of her, forming a wall of protection between her and Endymion. She would have verbalized her thanks but she was too preoccupied.

“Kind of sad and pathetic to pick on someone when they’re down,” Uranus bit out at Endymion. “So, why don’t you back off, Endymion?” Her sword was drawn.

“Get out of my way, Uranus,” he sharply replied. “Serenity is mine, and I will _not_ let you or the other two get in my way. I’ve waited too long to have her.”

“You don’t know what you’re messing with, Prince Endymion,” Pluto said her Time Key held out defensively. “You and the others may be dwelling in the Dark realm and might think you can defeat us, but you can’t. We’re stronger than all of you.”

Sailor Moon couldn’t help but just stay there during all of this. Her mind was going into overdrive as she continued to think. He was right. She couldn’t even stand up to fight his oncoming onslaught. He knew it. She knew it. Was this how it was going to end? She hung her head, biting her lip. How could it come to this? She had done _everything_ to try and stop this moment from happening, but here it was. Happening anyway. That trip to the moon had been pointless.

But wait, she couldn’t help but think. The cloud was gone. Their source of energy to turn her was gone. How could they still think that they had won? This was far from over yet. Especially because, she felt the now familiar sensation of that new power beginning to run through her veins.

Endymion was wrong. This was _far_ from over. She hadn’t lost, not yet.

“No, Endymion,” she replied drawing his attention. “This isn’t over. Not yet.” And with a strength she didn’t know she had, she was on her feet and stepping away from him, much to his amazement, and up into the air. Her hand up, like she was about to do her usual transformation. But this time it was different.

“Moon Celestial Power!” She exclaimed up into the air. A blinding show of multi-colored lights engulfed her and began transforming her outfit into something different. When she landed back onto the ground, everyone was staring at her, their mouths open in shock.

Standing before them was a different Sailor Moon. Her fuku that had been black was now multi-tiered and had four colors on it; pink, teal, gold, and hunter green. Her tiara jewel was no longer a solid color but the crescent moon, and her red moon earrings were now a light purple along with her boots. But that wasn’t what was shocking them. In her right hand was a new scepter. The rod was taller than her by at least six inches and purple. On top of the rod, was a deep red heart with bright blue wings protruding from the sides, and in the center of the heart were a teal, pink, gold, and hunter green jewels. Not to mention that the once unknown wings were now on display and somehow seemed whiter than they had originally been.

Endymion was the first to recover from the shock, “Do you really think a uniform change is going to help your situation? In case you forgot, Serenity, you’re still exhausted and can’t fight me off.”

“You haven’t seen the best of me, yet, Endymion,” she replied her mouth upturned into a smirk. A smirk that no one was used to her wearing and shocked everyone into silence again. “Besides, don’t you know who I am?” When she didn’t receive an answer she threw her hands up into the familiar pose. “I’m Sailor Moon, defender of love and justice and on half of the Moon, you’re punished!”

 


	9. Never Say Never

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Original AN: Wow, I can’t believe we’re at the second to last chapter of Shadows of the Night. It’s been one hell of a journey and I’m kind of sad to see it wrap up soon. I have a few things to say about this chapter. The first thing is the song choice, now, usually I’m not a Justin Bieber fan, but when I heard this song, I was like “this has to be the song I use for chapter nine.” Originally, the song for this chapter was supposed to be “Carry On Dancing” by Savage Garden, but I changed my mind once I heard this one. The second thing I have to say is that the first flashback that you read in this chapter is based upon the manga version of Sailor Moon. In fact, I used most of the dialogue from the manga in my flashback. I usually don’t like doing that, but it couldn’t be helped. For the first time in my history on fanfiction, I actually had to research out this chapter. I read the manga and even watched the corresponding episode for the idea.

_See I never thought that I could walk through fire_

_I never thought that I could take the burn_

_I never had the strength to take it higher_

_Until I reached the point of no return_

_And there’s just no turning back_

_When your heart’s under attack_

_Gonna give everything I have_

_It’s my destiny_

_I will never say never_

_I will fight ‘til forever, to make it right_

_Whenever you knock me down, I will not stay on the ground_

_Pick it up, pick it up, pick it up, pick it up_

_And never say never_

_~Never Say Never ~Justin Bieber_

* * *

 

Sailor Moon stared at Endymion knowing within her heart that this was it. This was the final battle that they all had been waiting for. It all came down to this moment, this final clash between Light and Darkness. One of them would win, of that much she was certain. As to which side would win, she had no idea. She felt her new power coursing through her veins and the heat of the finally unclouded sun at her back. Her Outer Senshi were strong, and would be able to fend off the Inners and the Shitennou while Endymion and her finally fought. But would this new power be enough to turn him back to the side of Light? She had thought so before, only just a few hours ago in fact, but now, as she stared at her Dark Prince, she realized she had underestimated herself again. The Darkness billowed around him like a second skin. He was now that far in that even if she had the opportunity to unleash her power on him, could it even break the surface of the hold that the Darkness had on him? She mentally shook herself of the thought. She wouldn’t know until she tried, and to do that this battle needed to begin.

Endymion stared at Serenity taking in her new appearance. Her speech just moments before had reminded him of the old days, before she disappeared, when she used to do her little hand gestures and corny speeches. But somehow, unlike before, he couldn’t find it within himself to make fun of her speech because there was something different about this one. This one wasn’t corny and it also showed that Serenity wasn’t the same girl from before. No, this time Endymion knew for a fact that the girl – no, the woman – standing before him was strong enough to take him on, and even possibly have a chance of winning this coming battle. It unnerved him a little bit to acknowledge this feeling. _He_ was supposed to believe strongly in the Darkness, there wasn’t supposed to be any doubt running through his mind. And as his daughter appeared behind him, any doubt he had disappeared. Tonight would be the night. A night that was almost five years in the making. No matter how many times Serenity had told him outright that she would not turn to the Darkness, she was about to be proven wrong. Serenity would turn this night. He would make sure of it.

A silence had fallen over the group whilst the two monarchs sized each other up for the coming war. The sun was now beginning to rise in the sky, illuminating the city of Tokyo for the first time in years. Endymion looked up, surprised that he had been right about Serenity destroying the cloud. But then again, he had always been a few steps ahead of his lover. A smirk played on his lips as his gaze returned to her, making her quirk an eyebrow in wonder. This was not the reaction she had expected when he realized that the cloud, the source of his energy to turn her, was gone. She had expected rage, screams of disdain and dejection. But, she should have known better. Endymion always had a few tricks up his sleeves. He never fought fair. Why should this time be any different?

“I’m giving you the option now, Serenity,” his voice broke through the silence. “Come to the Darkness, give in now, and I promise it won’t be as painful for you and your friends. Don’t, and you will suffer and be turned anyway. The choice is yours my dear, please choose wisely.” He folded his arms in front of his chest, patiently waiting for an answer, one that he knew already but thought that he would at least try. She _was_ always full of surprises.

“Choose wisely?” Her angelic voice answered with a light chuckle. “It seems to me that you have separated this into only the two options you desire. But as you very well know, there are more. I could come with you and turn to the Darkness and leave this city to fall into ruin. I could fight you, and as you believe, lose and still turn to the Darkness. But the one you forget, my dear Endymion, is the one where I fight you and win, turning all of you back to the Light. Making this future that this woman,” she gestured to Black Lady, “comes from, non existent.”

No one spoke as her words hung in the air. They had all been shocked into silence. Never before had they heard Sailor Moon speak like that, as if she were already Queen. The power and conviction deep within her voice, made where she stood perfectly clear. Yes, the chances against her were stacked abnormally high, but she was choosing to stand against fate. The power of Darkness that Endymion held, that the nine of them held, did not scare the little Moon Princess anymore. In fact, she almost was mocking them and daring them to challenge the power that she held. Endymion’s group of eight stared at him waiting for him to make some sort of rebuttal, to take her down a few feet. But he just stood there slack jawed. Like the rest of them, he hadn’t expected an answer of that magnitude from his princess. If there was any doubt before that she had changed, there wasn’t any now.

“So, I am to believe that you chose to fight?” He asked her after awhile.

“You believe correctly, Endymion,” she replied her cornflower blue eyes staring at him with an intensity he had never seen before. She knew her task, as he knew his. This battle would be the final one between the two of them. At the end of this war, a victor would be chosen tonight. Only one side would prevail.

“Very well,” Endymion broke through the silence again. He had to shake off the effects that Serenity was having on him. If he kept acting surprised and amazed by the power that she showed, this battle would be over fairly quickly. “If that is the side you chose, then let this battle begin. And remember, I offered you the chance to come with me and spare yourself all this pain. It was your unwise choice to fight me and the others.” A red rose appeared in his outstretched hand, he threw the flower at her feet. Staring down at it in question, Sailor Moon watched as the flower bloomed, the blood red petals falling quickly to the ground beneath, and revealing the black rose that she had come to know since Endymion had been taken from her.

“Uranus, Neptune, Pluto,” she said, an edge in her voice. The three Senshi looked to their princess. “Please, move out of my way, this battle is just between Endymion and myself.” With a great reluctance, especially from Sailor Uranus, the three moved out of her way, knowing that they had no say in the matter. They had known that this was coming, they just had to hope that their princess would be strong enough to beat the Darkness and turn her love back to the side of Light.

“Don’t sit and sulk so,” Nephrite commented. “We won’t be sitting back and watching them fight, we have our own battle to get to.” He faced the three Senshi, his hands crackling with dark energy. The other seven followed suit, making their battle stances and wearing discriminating looks on their faces. The Outer Senshi looked at each other and tried to hold back their laughter. They knew that they were stronger than all of the Inner Senshi and Shitennou combined. This wouldn’t take too long at all.

“If it’s a battle that you want,” Uranus said, her sword reappearing in her hand. She slashed at the air, “Then it’s a battle you get, but I hope you realize that we’re not total pushovers.” She jumped forward and attacked the closest Senshi or Shitennou.

The battle had begun amongst the Shitennou, the Inner Senshi and the Outer Senshi. But the two monarchs still only stared at each other. A silence had fallen over the two of them, even though war had been declared. Serenity was thinking about how she was going to turn Endymion back to the Light, while Endymion was trying to figure out how to end this battle quickly without tiring out his group.

“What makes you so sure that you can defeat me, Serenity?” His voice rang out, finally breaking the silence. “Yes, your outfit has changed, and I can see that there is more conviction in your words, but have you really changed? Because I personally believe that you are still that terrified sixteen-year-old girl from three years ago. You will never be able to defeat me, Serenity. Never.” And with that, Endymion threw a dark energy ball straight at her, hoping to take her off guard. Sailor Moon, for her part, took what he had said with a grain of salt. He knew absolutely _nothing_. He had no _clue_ what she had gone through during her three-year absence. He thought that she had spent it living a normal life, trying to forget the heartache and unfinished business she left here in Tokyo. But he was wrong.

She had changed, and as the dark energy ball came hurtling towards her, she just stood there watching it come. And just when Endymion thought that this battle was going to be over before it had even begun, the energy ball had disappeared and Sailor Moon was shrouded in a white light. Her eyes flashed at him, almost as if in warning.

“I see that you are still the arrogant prince that I left behind three years ago,” she said. “You think that just because you knew me back in the Silver Millennium and for a few months before you turned evil, you can second guess my actions? Don’t you know anything, Endymion? People _can_ change, and if you refuse to accept that, then maybe it will just have to hit you in the face to wake you up from this fantasy that you seem to be living.” A white ball of light began hurtling its way towards Endymion, who was staring at Serenity mouth agape. He hadn’t expected such an answer from her mouth. Before the ball of light could even hit him, it disappeared, much like the dark energy ball had disappeared minutes before.

“So you’ve changed,” Endymion said. “But do you really think you’ve changed enough? What makes you so sure that you’ll be able to accomplish your goal? A goal, may I remind you, that you failed at achieving three years ago?” He threw crackling energy towards her.

“Because I have a better understanding of my powers and dominion over the crystal I wield,” she replied throwing herself into the sky to avoid the energy. A memory was playing at the forefront of her mind and she quickly thought back to it, her eyes watching as Endymion followed her into the sky.

**_*Flashback*_ **

_Usagi was still fourteen and had just recently found out that she was Sailor Moon, champion of love and justice. Her fellow senshi, Mercury and Mars had also just found out about who they were, and they had just recently defeated Jadeite._

_It was a beautiful fall day, and as Usagi ran to school, for fear of being late, she couldn’t help but notice all the police cars that were around. It was rather unusual for there to be so many, and when Usagi arrived in class, on time, she was quickly informed by her friends what was going on that day._

_“Hi guys,” she said entering the classroom, trying to catch her breath. It had been a long dash to school that morning. She felt like she was running at the speed of light._

_“Don’t worry, Usagi,” Naru said smiling. “You made it. Ms. Haruna isn’t here yet. Did you happen to notice all the cops this morning?”_

_“Yeah, what’s going on? I don’t think I’ve ever seen that many cops before…”_

_“Princess D, queen of D-Land is coming today!” Naru exclaimed. “D-Land is known for its diamonds. There’s a ball at the embassy tonight! You know the D-Land embassy-it’s right near Sendai Hill?”_

_“Wow…a princess,” Usagi muttered amazed. “Any idea why the ball is being held?”_

_“They say Princess D is going to inherit the D-Land fortune…” Naru trailed off her gaze glassy. Her mom, Usagi couldn’t help but remember, worked at a jewelry store and probably wouldn’t mind getting her hands on those diamonds. “Anyway tonight at the ball, she’ll display the D-Land treasure. Treasure from diamond-rich D-Land, I can only imagine what it’s going to look like.” That gaze returned to Naru’s face and Usagi was left to her own thoughts as Ms. Haruna walked in._

* * *

_Usagi was late that afternoon to the arcade, and barely made into the door before she heard her two friends greet, or in the case of Rei, berate her for her tardiness._

_“Usagi, you made it!” Ami cheerfully greeted her._

_“You’re late!” Rei exclaimed glaring at the blonde._

_“She failed her test and had to stay after, again,” Luna rolled her eyes. “Ami, can you please help Usagi learn to study?” Usagi for her part just rolled her eyes and went to the Sailor V game. Rei on the other hand, had just found out that she was a senshi, wasn’t too thrilled by the idea._

_“Why do I have to be a Senshi? I’m too busy for this nonsense!” She flipped her hair back. “Luna! Who is this princess we’re looking for? Which country? Do we have_ any _clues? Also, you need to tell us about your true origins and your role. Or else we won’t be a part of it!” Usagi who was playing her video game, but had still heard Rei’s speech, could only roll her eyes. At first, she had thought that having Rei as a member of their team would be cool, but now? She was starting to realize how bossy this girl was, and she wasn’t sure if she would be able to handle her._

_“The truth is…” Luna trailed off and looked like she was struggling with something. “I can’t really tell you yet. You wouldn’t believe me if I did.”_

_“But Luna, we need_ some _info,” Ami, always the logical one, said. “About the enemy…the Crystal…. anything really.”_

_“The enemy is a mystery to me, too. I wonder how they even got here…”_

_“But Luna,” Ami said stricken. “We were chosen to fight the enemy…”_

_“No! You were originally chosen to protect the princess. We can’t find the princess because she was kind of…sealed away.”_

_“Sealed away?” Ami asked confused._

_“Why was that necessary?” Rei asked._

_“So she wouldn’t be found easily,” Luna replied. “Because the crystal is probably with her. The Silver Crystal possesses unbelievable power. It can’t get in the hands of the enemy! You haven’t received your full Senshi abilities. We need two more Senshi before that can happen. Once they join us, then your powers will be complete, and the princess will be unsealed. That’s all I can say right now. Okay, Rei?”_

_“How do we become complete?” Rei asked._

_“It will come from your memory,” Luna replied. “No matter what, you will have to remember.”_

_“Remember?” Rei echoed._

_“Usagi!” Luna jumped onto her blonde charge’s head. “Did you hear_ anything _I said? You have to pay attention. This is important!” Usagi had been paying attention, but she was too involved with her game._

_“Hold on…just one more level…” She trailed off and hit some buttons._

_“Usagi, you’ve got to shape up! How do you expect to defeat the enemy and find the princess like this?”_

_Luna instantly shut up, when Motoki, the owner of the arcade, walked inside._

_“What’s with all the cops today?” He asked and then saw Usagi and her two friends. “Hey, Buns, thanks for bringing cute girls here.” He patted her on the head._

_“Princess D’s coming to Sendai Hill tonight. That’s why all the cops are around.”_

_“Princess D’s treasure…it makes me nervous,” Luna whispered so only Usagi could hear her. What she said made Usagi curious. Why would the treasure of D-Land make Luna nervous? It didn’t make any sense._

_“Wow, a princess! Is she blonde and glamorous?” Motoki asked._

_“Um…well…” Usagi couldn’t answer his question because she didn’t know what the princess looked like. Lucky for her, Umino came in at that exact moment._

_“Hey guys,” he said clutching a piece of rolled up paper in his hands. “I finally got my hands on a picture of Princess D!” He unrolled the paper that he had in his hands. The picture was of a girl with brown hair that went to her shoulders, and she was wearing bottle coke glasses. In fact she sort of looked like…_

_“Oh, that’s Princess D? Hm… uh…” Motoki didn’t know what to say._

_“She kind of looks like you, Umino,” Usagi answered for him. “She’ll probably be wearing a beautiful dress tonight. I wanna go too! I wanna see the treasure!” Usagi began dancing around the arcade but stopped when she saw the look on Rei’s face._

_“That’s not a good idea,” Rei said. “I have a bad feeling. There will be trouble.”_

_“But shouldn’t that be more reason for us to go?” Usagi asked. “So that way if there is trouble, we’ll already be there to take care of it!” Ami, Rei and Luna looked at Usagi totally speechless. They hadn’t thought something so logical would come out of that blonde’s mouth. Ever._

_“She’s got a point,” Luna said. “I guess we’ll meet at the embassy later on tonight to investigate.”_

_“Okay,” Ami replied._

_“I don’t like this,” Rei said. “I still have a bad feeling that something is going to happen tonight.”_

* * *

_When Usagi came home from the arcade she walked into the living room exclaiming, “I’m home!” What she saw surprised her. Standing in the living room was her father in a tuxedo. He actually looked handsome!_

_“Daddy, why are you all dressed up?”_

_“I have to go to the D-Land Ball tonight,” he replied fixing his tie._

“What?” _Usagi exclaimed. “No way! I want to go too!”_

_“Watch it on the news tonight, honey.” Her dad said and then walked out the door. Usagi was left alone in the living room with Luna._

_“Hey Luna,” she said causing the fur on Luna’s coat to stand on edge. “I think it’s time we go investigate what’s going on.” She held up her Luna Pen. Luna cringed and knew what was going to come._

_“Moon Power! Morph into a princess!” After the light show had faded, Usagi stood in the living room of her family’s home in a white gown. She almost looked like a bride. There were flowers and pearls adorning the gown that she was wearing, and there were also pearls holding her buns in place atop her head. A small golden crown also sat atop her head._

_After getting over the shock, Luna said, “Okay, so how exactly are you going to get to the embassy?”_

* * *

_Somehow, Usagi, Ami, Rei and Luna arrived at the embassy and instantly walked inside. What they saw shocked them._

_“Wow, a masquerade ball!” Usagi exclaimed in awe._

_“We won’t be able to identify anyone,” Luna said looking over the guests. Indeed, everyone in the building was wearing a mask on his or her face. Rei and Ami began to walk way from the scene to try and find Princess D._

_"Where’s Usagi?” Ami asked. Rei looked behind her and found the Odango Atama with her eyes glazed over as she looked around the dance floor._

_“Never mind her, she’s a bit preoccupied.”_

This is so amazing. I’m all dressed up and will probably never look better in my life except on my wedding day. I wish I could have at least one dance… _she thought to herself her hands clasped in front of her. But her moment of absolute bliss came to a screeching halt when a woman knocked into her, spilling her pink drink all over Usagi’s white gown._

 _“Excuse me!” The woman said, but Usagi paid no attention to her, as she rushed off trying to find the bathroom to try and wash this stain out of her dress._ Where’s the restroom? _Usagi looked around her desperately, and she also saw that Luna, Rei, and Ami had left her behind._ Where’s Luna…Ami…Rei? I’m dressed up like a princess, but I’m all-alone. This is quite depressing. _She continued her search for a bathroom, thinking of how wonderful it would be if Tuxedo Kamen were here with her when she heard a very familiar voice from behind her._

 _“Beautiful princess, may I have this dance?” Usagi turned around and instantly found her breath gone. For standing before her, was Tuxedo Kamen._ What was he doing here? _But before she could completely process her thought he was whisking her onto the dance floor. Her skirts billowing out behind her and his hands on her waist and one within her own almost made her forget where she was._ This feels like something out of a dream _, she couldn’t help but think._

_“Just now I was thinking that I wanted to see you,” she heard herself saying._

_“Me too,” he smiled at her as they continued to dance. There was heat growing between the two of them. A heat, Usagi couldn’t help but think, seemed familiar._

_“Usagi!” Luna exclaimed, diverting her attention to the cat that was making her way towards the girl._

_“Luna!” Usagi said and turned her attention to Tuxedo Kamen, but he had disappeared._ Where did he get to? And how did I not notice that he was gone? _She couldn’t help but think._

_“Usagi, we found Princess D,” Luna said trying to ignore the look of confusion on her charge’s face. Usagi followed her cat further into the embassy, her mind though focusing on the feel of Tuxedo Kamen’s hands on her waist. The warmth that she had felt while dancing with him was still lingering. Why had this warmth felt so familiar? A bustling commotion brought Usagi’s attention back to the present._

_“Princess D has flipped out!” She heard someone exclaim as a bustle of white fabric and brown hair flew past her. Luna jumped into Usagi’s arms._

_“She’s running towards the balcony!” Luna exclaimed. Usagi ran after her and threw herself onto the princess when she reached the balcony. Trying to stop her from jumping._

_“Princess D! Watch out!” She exclaimed._

_“Let go of me!” The princess wrestled out of Usagi’s grip and flung her backwards. The loss of balance was enough to send Usagi toppling over the banister and began her plummet down to the ground below._

_“Usagi!” Luna exclaimed in shock, knowing all she could do was watch helplessly._

_“Ahh!” Usagi exclaimed. A hand shot out and grabbed hers, stopping her mid-fall. She was surprised and looked up into the face of her masked savior._

_“Tuxedo Kamen?” She asked surprised to see him. He had saved her from plummeting to her death. But it didn’t look like he would be able to hold her much longer. Her communicator decided to go off at that moment. Making Usagi wince at its horrible timing._

_“Usagi?” Ami’s face appeared._

_“Ami?”_

_“Princess D’s eyes…she’s been possessed by the enemy!” Ami exclaimed._

_“Look, Ami, I would really love to talk right now, but I’m kind of hanging thirty feet in the air right now. I’ll get back to you soon,” she turned off her communicator and felt her hand slipping. Tuxedo Kamen was having trouble keeping her grip._ I can’t hold on!

 _“Usagi, use the pen!” Luna exclaimed._ The pen? How would that pen help her in this situation right now? _But she didn’t dare question Luna right now. She had never been wrong before, why should she start questioning her own pet? Fetching into her bra she brought out the pen. Which instantly began to extend, much to Usagi’s surprise and not a moment too soon. The action had been the final straw. The grip Tuxedo Kamen had on her fell through, sending him over the balcony as well. They began to plummet together, when the pen transformed into an umbrella, slowing their descent to the ground._

 _“Thank you, Sailor Moon. You saved me,” he told her and then ran off into the night. Usagi stood there watching him go,_ No, you’re the one who’s always saving me _. She thought to herself before pulling out her transformation brooch._

_“Moon Prism Power! Make Up!” She exclaimed and felt the warmth of her transformation fall over her. As soon as the light show faded, she realized something important. She wasn’t wearing her tiara. She had used it to defeat Jadeite last time and had burned up. Warmth though surrounded her, and she felt a new tiara appear on her head._

_“Usagi, you’re too late!” Mars exclaimed. “Everyone’s being sucked into the darkness!”_

_An evil cackle came from behind Princess D, “The treasure and all of your energy belongs to me now!” The voice exclaimed almost giddy. Mars fought down frustration and stood before the darkness, aiming her attack at it. But it was to no avail, the darkness seemed to just absorb the power._

_“Sailor Moon!” A voice exclaimed from behind the Moon Senshi. “To conquer the darkness, use the power of light!” Sailor Moon recognized that voice as Tuxedo Kamen. To conquer the darkness, use the power of light? She thought to herself._

**_*End of Flashback*_ **

An attack of black crackling energy came hurtling towards her, snapping Sailor Moon back to the present and out of her mental reverie. She stared up at the evil prince that now stood before her, not believing that a few years ago it was the same man who had told her to use the power of light to defeat the darkness. How his words would come back to haunt him, she couldn’t help but think as she dashed away from the oncoming attack. It missed her by a mere inch. Too close for her liking, she thought as she stared back at Endymion, a smile now on his lips.

“Slowing down a little, aren’t you, Serenity?” He asked. “Feeling the effects of only having twenty minutes of sleep yet?”

“Dream on, Endymion,” she retorted. “If there’s anything that I’ve learned in the last three years, it’s that I can fight through anything! Even if it’s sleep deprivation.” She threw a ball of white light at him again, one that he was easily able to dodge.

“When are you going to get it, Serenity? You’ll never win against me. You don’t have any attack that I haven’t seen before. How will you defeat the darkness when you weren’t able to three years ago?”

“Easy, Endymion,” she smiled something that unnerved me. “I remember a good piece of advice that you gave me back when you were my protector.” Endymion raised an eyebrow at that. What piece of advice could she possibly be talking about? “To defeat the darkness, use the power of light.” She stood with her back against the sun and touched the tiara on her forehead, pointing her finger outwards she called out, “Moon Twilight Flash!” He was instantly engulfed in a bright light. As it burned his skin, and blinded his vision, he couldn’t help but think of how warm it was. He closed his eyes to block out the light. Maybe she was right, maybe she would win and turn him back to the Light. _Oh no, you don’t, Prince Endymion._ A voice began in his ear. _You will not be giving up so easily. You have worked too hard to watch all of this go to waste. Fight back against her!_ The Darkness began crackling at his fingertips again as he felt the light ebb away.

Sailor Moon flew backwards a little bit, surprised that her attack hadn’t worked like she thought it was going to. He opened his eyes, the Darkness now even darker around him. The crackling Darkness that he had on his fingertips extended out towards her, surprising Sailor Moon in such a way that by the time she realized what was happening, the Darkness was touching her skin and clamping itself around her, bringing her closer to Endymion. She struggled against it, tried using her crystal to break the bonds that were drawing her close to her Dark Prince, but they wouldn’t break.

“That was quite the interesting trick, Serenity,” he said as she came to him. “Real interesting, but as you can see your little plan didn’t work. Now you have to deal with the consequences.” A dark energy ball was in his palms, he was ready to throw it at her, knowing that once it made contact she would be too weak to fight back against him. She would be his for the taking then. Sailor Moon stared at the energy ball, knowing what he had planned for her, and tried to get out of the bonds that were holding her down. Her left hand clasped harder on the new scepter, and she knew instantly what she had to do.

The dark energy ball was released and began heading towards her. Her hand gripped the scepter and she whispered in her mind, _Moon Cosmos Star Shards!_ Another batch of light infiltrated Endymion’s eyes, blinding him momentarily, but Sailor Moon watched as shards of light began ripping their way through the dark binds that held her, and began to pierce the dark energy ball that was coming towards her. Within moments, both were gone, and she flew a safe distance away from Endymion. Once he regained his sight, he stared open mouthed again at the scene before him. How had she gotten out of that? What had she done?

“Seems your plan failed too, Endymion,” she said.

“Did it?” He asked her a playful smirk on his lips. “And which plan would you be talking about, Serenity?”

“Both of them, Endymion,” she replied. “Your dark energy ball is no more. The cloud that you had Mercury create and put in place is also gone, which includes all the energy that you had collected from the last three years. Out of curiosity, if you had been able to capture me just then, how would you have turned me? You don’t have any energy to accomplish that task.”

“Don’t I? For you see, my love, the cloud that you think you destroyed isn’t as gone as you had believed,” he stood his hand pointed at the sky as black clouds, even blacker than the ones she had just gotten rid of, clouded up the now blue sky. A massive black cloud was now in place, emitting a major evil aura. Serenity felt herself crumple a little as the aura hit her full force. What had he done now? Had he absolutely lost his mind? Screams of pain came from the citizens of Tokyo, as their energy was now being taken from them in greater quantities than before. “Isn’t it beautiful?” He murmured staring up at it.

“You fool,” she whispered and threw a ball of white light at him. He ducked out of the way, which made him lose sight of Serenity. When his eyes found her, she was flying straight into the cloud. His eyes widened. What was she doing? Did she plan on trying to destroy the cloud again? His smile twitched, if she even attempted she would lose all of her power. The cloud, he had been reassured, was indestructible.

Sailor Moon flew towards the cloud, knowing that standing on the roof of the tallest building of Tokyo wasn’t going to be enough to destroy this cloud. She was going to have to be inside of it, or else it wouldn’t work. In fact, she wasn’t even sure if she would be able to destroy this cloud. Its aura was too strong and even as she flew towards it, was making beads of sweat appear on her face. But she had to try. She couldn’t let Endymion do this to Tokyo. Once inside, she channeled the new power that was flowing through her veins and began figuring out the clouds weaknesses.

* * *

Black Lady, who had been quiet during the battle, was now staring at the monstrosity Sailor Mercury and Zoicite had been able to collect. A smile appeared on her face as she felt the aura of the cloud, it was more powerful than the original, making it more indestructible. Her mother didn’t stand a chance against this cloud. She would either faint from exhaustion or die trying to destroy it. Both of which her father would take advantage of. Her mother would finally come to the side of Darkness. The moment was almost there, Black Lady’s smile grew wider. Her eyes on Endymion, who wasn’t looking at her in appreciation, but at the cloud where her mother was trying to defeat it. The smile on her lips faltered. She should have known that that was where his eyes would be. Whenever her mother and her were in the same room, he would always look at her mother. Not even caring that she was there.

She sighed as she fingered the Silver Crystal from the future. Sailor Moon had told her that she couldn’t use the crystal because it was from the future, but she was wrong. That wasn’t the reason Wicked Lady couldn’t use it. She had feared that she had lost her ability to wield the crystal before she left for the past, when her plans had been exposed to her mother in the future. She closed her eyes and tried desperately to fight back the memory that was coming to the forefront of her mind.

**_*Flashback*_ **

_“How could you use the Crystal for such a purpose, Chibi-Usa?” Her mother asked, a tone of disappointment coating her voice. Black Lady looked up at her mother beneath her eyelashes. How could she? The answer to that question was simple. She was tired of her father paying attention only to her mother when they were both in the room. She was their daughter for crying out loud. They were supposed to worship her! But no, his eyes were only for her mother. She was so sick of this that she had used the crystal to brainwash her father into only adoring her. Stupid, yes, but totally worth it when his eyes landed on hers for the first time and showed total adoration. But her mother had found out, how, she had no idea._

_The spell was reversed and she was now facing the inquisition._

_"You can’t keep using the crystal for such selfish purposes, Black Lady,” her mother lectured. “It’s only meant to follow your heart, not this utter nonsense.” She passed the crystal back to her daughter’s hand. “This is your last warning. Use it wisely or else lose the power to wield it forever.”_

**_*End of Flashback*_ **

What her mother didn’t know was that she had already lost it, and it wasn’t because she had misused the crystal’s power again. No, this time it was because the crystal couldn’t follow a broken heart. She grimaced at the mere thought, but it was true, her heart was broken. And it was all thanks to that stupid Helios. She had thought that Helios was her friend, and even something more than that. But he had betrayed her. He was the one who told her mother about the spell she had put on Endymion. He also was trying to sabotage her future. That had been the final straw. She bit her cheek to stop thinking about that. It wouldn’t do right now. Soon it wouldn’t even matter. Helios had failed in his mission. The Light would not win.

* * *

Sailor Moon felt the intensity of the cloud’s aura overwhelm her. It was trying to breakdown her defenses, but she was fighting back, she was getting close to figuring out how to destroy this cloud. She just needed a few more minutes. She gasped as the cloud bore down harder on her. The intensity was getting to become too much. She didn’t know how much longer she could keep this up. The light of her crystal flared around her, trying to protect her, and to stop the cloud.

* * *

Endymion grimaced as he watched the cloud. Serenity had been inside way too long for his liking, and he was starting to become worried. The cloud, which had been the darkest shade of black, was beginning to lighten. He could only think that it was because Serenity was trying to do something to it, and was succeeding. He needed to stop her, he needed the power to stop her. A rush of warmth exploded in his chest. What the-?

* * *

Black Lady was watching the cloud lighten, what the hell was her mother doing? She couldn’t go quietly could she? She just had to put up a damn fight! Her fury began to build and she clutched tighter to the crystal in her hand. She had to stop her mother from ruining her future. The future had to come to pass!

The battle that had been waging beneath the two monarchs had stopped as soon as the cloud had appeared. The Outer Senshi had stared at it in amazement and fear. Sailor Moon had just vanquished a cloud, and this one seemed to be more powerful than the last one. The Inner Senshi and the Shitennou stared up at the cloud with a smile to their faces. It was almost time…

Soon though, their smiles disappeared as they realized that the cloud was becoming lighter and lighter. Sailor Moon wasn’t going to let the cloud take over the world and suck up the citizens of Tokyo’s energy. Her crystal flared again as it sent its power deeper into the cloud. She was almost there…

“No!” Endymion growled, a golden light exploding from him. He stared at himself, taken aback by what was going on. Where had that warmth come from? Why did he feel more powerful all of a sudden? Was this the power of the Golden Crystal? Had he finally found it?

“No!” Black Lady echoed the same growl and a light exploded from her crystal. She stared at it in shock. She had thought that her crystal no longer worked because her heart had been broken. But it was working again because her heart now knew what it wanted. She wanted the future that she had come from to stay in tact. She wanted her mother to finally turn and she wanted her mother to stop destroying the cloud.

The light of her crystal joined that of Endymion’s golden light causing a scream of horror to erupt from beneath them.

“NO!” Sailor Pluto exclaimed her hand on her garnet rod. Uranus and Neptune looked to her surprised by their friend’s outburst.

“What’s the matter?” Uranus asked.

“The crystal of the future cannot meet the crystal of the past. If they do the world will surely be destroyed,” her grip tightened even more. “I have to stop this!”

“No!” Neptune exclaimed. “You know the consequences if you stop time. We cannot have you die on us when there is still a battle to be waged.” Uranus took the garnet rod from Pluto’s hand.

“Will you really risk the death of this world?” Pluto asked. “My life is not significant enough for this. Please, give me back my garnet rod so I can stop this madness!”

“No, Pluto!” Uranus exclaimed keeping it out of her desperate reach. They all watched in horror as the combined lights from Endymion and Black Lady came hurtling towards the cloud and their princess who was inside. It seemed like a light explosion had gone off when the three powers finally met. No one could see anything. Endymion turned and covered his eyes with his sleeve. Wicked Lady did the same, and the others on the ground closed their eyes tightly. The only thing they could do was wait for it to pass. When the light had finally lessened enough that it wouldn’t blind anyone who gazed upon it, everyone looked towards the sky.

The cloud was gone and the sun was shining once again.

But the city around them could care less about the sun, buildings had started to crumple, the earth began shaking violently, and the sun’s rays, which should have been gentle, now burned harshly. The city around them was dying. However, that wasn’t the most shocking thing. Endymion’s scream of regret said it all.

For falling gently to the ground below was Sailor Moon. Her eyes closed and her face deathly pale. She landed on the roof of the building that had been directly beneath the cloud. Endymion and the others all appeared beside her. He cradled her in his arms, she was cold to the touch. He tried waking her, but to no avail. He felt for a pulse by her neck, but there was none.

Sailor Moon was dead.


	10. A New Day has Come

_Where it was dark now there’s light_

_Where there was pain now there’s joy_

_Where there was weakness, I found my strength_

_All in the eyes of a boy_

_Hush, love_

_I see a light in the sky_

_Oh, it’s almost blinding me_

_I can’t believe that I’ve been touched by an angel with love_

_Let the rain come down and wash away my tears_

_Let it fill my soul and drown my fears_

_Let it shatter the walls for a new sun_

_A new day has come_

_~A New Day Has Come ~Celine Dion_

The city around them was decaying and dying. The screams that they had heard from the citizens of Tokyo when the energy sucking cloud had been in the sky, now intensified. They were no longer screams of exhaustion, but of death. But all of this went unnoticed as Endymion held Sailor Moon’s lifeless body in his arms. He hadn’t known that he could feel this kind of pain. His heart was contracting, but very painfully in his chest. He knew without looking at his face that bitter tears were flowing down his cheeks. What had he done? Had he really pushed this so far? He bitterly thought. He wanted Serenity to turn to Darkness, and even though he knew that she would fight, he had never imagined this situation. Maybe he shouldn’t have pushed so hard, maybe…he hung his head in shame, he could try to convince himself that what he did was for the greater good, but he knew now that it was only for his selfish desires. Now, that it was too late and Sailor Moon was dead.

The Outer Senshi stood to the side and stared down at their fallen princess. How could they have let this happen? They were supposed to guard the princess from such danger. They had failed in their mission. Sailor Pluto, who now held her garnet rod once again, stared down at the fallen princess. She could have stopped all of this from happening. Yes, it would have sacrificed her life, but was her life so more important than the princess’s and wouldn’t the princess have reincarnated her? Neptune reached out a hand to Pluto, who firmly grasped it. They all needed each other’s comfort. Uranus who was too distraught and was leaning heavily on Sailor Neptune, was taking this the hardest. She had grown really close to Usagi when she had arrived in Los Angeles three years ago. Even back during the Silver Millennium, the two of them had been close.

**_*Flashback*_ **

_Usagi’s uncle Adam had been very surprised to see his niece on his porch still in her pajamas that morning when he got up to get the paper. After a few calls to her parents back in Tokyo, he admitted that she could stay at his house for as long as she wanted. He hadn’t seen his niece in a few years, and she looked like she could do with a rest from her life in Tokyo._

_It had been a few weeks since Usagi’s arrival, and even though Adam had believed the time away from Tokyo would do her good, it didn’t appear to be working. He woke up in the middle of the night to hear her screams from the down the hall. What exactly had happened in Tokyo that made her act this way? Did it have anything to do with all the monster attacks that he had heard about from his sister? Whatever the reason, Adam decided that she needed to take her mind off of things, and invited his coworker’s daughters; Michiru, Setsuna, and Haruka, over to meet his niece. They were roughly the same age, and could possibly relate to the troubled girl._

_Haruka, Michiru, and Setsuna, for their part, already knew whom they were going to be meeting that day when they came over. Queen Selene’s spirit had been in contact with Setsuna and told her about the change in their mission. Things had gone horribly wrong in Tokyo, and now, their princess needed their help to set things right. Whenever she decided to, of course. But while she was healing, they had been put in charge of protecting her and training her so that way when she did go back she would be able to face her loved ones with a new found strength._

_That afternoon when they arrived, they instantly recognized the princess and couldn’t help but shudder at her appearance. The bubbly and alive girl that they had known when they lived during the Silver Millennium was no longer there. Instead there was a zombie; Usagi’s hair was still as golden as it had been when she was a princess, but her eyes, which had spoken volumes of what she felt, showed no emotion. They were dead. The bags underneath, told the story of how little sleep she had received since coming to the states. The three girls exchanged worried looks, their job wasn’t going to be as easy as they thought._

_As soon as Adam left the room to give them time alone to get to know each other, the three instantly bowed to Usagi. She, stood back a hand to her mouth and her eyes widening, how was it these three girls knew who she was?_

_“We greet you, Princess Serenity,” Setsuna said. “We wish not to cause you any fear, your mother, Queen Selene, had informed us of your arrival and we hastened as quickly as we could to your side. My name is Sailor Pluto.”_

_“I am Sailor Neptune,” Michiru said from beside Setsuna._

_“And I am Sailor Uranus.”_

_“We are the three Sailor Senshi from the Outer Planet Solar System. We have been assigned to protect you while you are here. We have also been assigned to help train you, for if you ever decide to go back to Tokyo to face…”_

_“That’s enough,” Usagi cut her off. “I need to make one thing perfectly clear. Now, that you have mentioned to me who you are, I do remember you and I understand why my mother has sent you to me. But I will not have any need for the training that you have been assigned to give me. I have no intentions of going back there. None whatsoever.”_

_The three girls looked at each other with shock written over their faces. What had gone down in Tokyo that made their princess feel this way? They all knew though, especially by her statement, that they shouldn’t push her into giving out any details of what had happened. She would explain everything to them, when she was ready. The only thing that they could do right now, was give her time and friendship that she desperately needed._

_* * *_

_A couple months later, Usagi came to Haruka’s door. Her eyes were brimmed with red as if she had been crying, and there were deep bags underneath her eyes. She hadn’t been sleeping, and Adam had called to tell Haruka that Usagi’s screaming in the middle of the night was getting worse. Yet, when Haruka opened her door and saw the disheveled blonde, she still felt shock at this appearance and put her foot down. There was only so much space Sailor Uranus could give. She wanted to know everything that had happened, and she wanted to know now._

_Inviting her inside, Haruka led her to the couch, placed a box of tissues in front of Usagi, and told her to spill. A few tissue boxes later, Haruka understood fully why she had left and why she was screaming in the middle of the night. She was pissed as all hell at the Inner Senshi. They were supposed to guard their princess, not fall into the Darkness’ clutches. And that Endymion! She knew when she first laid eyes on him back in the Silver Millennium that he wasn’t good enough for Serenity, but to pull this stunt? The next time she saw him….she ground her teeth. This wasn’t helping matters. Usagi needed consoling and help._

_“I know you said that you don’t want any training, Bunny,” Haruka said very carefully. “But I really believe that it might be for the best. One day, you’re going to wake up and realize what you left behind, and you’re going to want to go back and fight for it. I know you, Buns, I know how big your heart is. You’re not going to let this go. So, please, reconsider?”_

_Usagi was real quiet after Haruka finished her speech, she saw the battle that was raging in the princess’s eyes, and knew that what she had said hit a nerve. Finally, she inhaled sharply, “You’re right, Haruka. One day when I calm down, I’m going to go back, and when that day comes, I’m going to need to be ready for it. I refuse to go back as the weak and corny Sailor Moon. You say you can help me with this training? Well, then, let’s do it.”_

**_*End of Flashback*_ **

The Inner Senshi, who were standing in a circle directly behind Endymion, were clutching desperately to the Shitennou. Tears of disbelief and sadness flowed down their cheeks, unchecked. Each of them knew that a small part of this was their fault. Princess Serenity was entrusted into their care, and they had failed her when she needed them the most. She was stronger than any of them, for they had given into the Darkness too easily. They should have been stronger for her, they should have…Venus and Jupiter let out heart wrenching sobs. They had betrayed her so willingly to be with the ones they loved. How could they have done that to her? Turning their backs on the visual of Sailor Moon’s body, they all cried into the chests of the Shitennou. The Shitennou, for their part, comforted their lovers as best they could. Since they had not known the princess as well as the others there was not as much pain, but because Sailor Moon had been precious to their prince, they felt his pain. Maybe they shouldn’t have pushed this so far….

Black Lady was the last to appear on the building roof. Her eyes widened and she felt herself shaking when she saw her future mother lying as still as death in the arms of Endymion. As she looked around her, she knew without a doubt that her mother was dead, but if her mother was dead, why was she still in this time? With her mother’s death, the course of time would have changed. Black Lady shouldn’t have been standing there. Someone shimmered next to her, without turning her face she knew that it was Helios.

“Princess Serenity,” he whispered beside her instantly dropping to his knees. He hadn’t expected this to happen. He had only seen the outcome of the future going two different ways; the Light prevailing, or the Darkness prevailing. He hadn’t foreseen the princess’s death. His breath caught in his throat as he turned to look at Chibi-Usa. “What happened? How did she die?” He asked, his voice still whispering. Black Lady’s red eyes stared back at him, her mouth was set in a grimace. She knew what had caused her mother’s death but she couldn’t admit it to Helios. Even though her crystal had followed her heart, it was still broken. She didn’t want to see the look of disgust or disappointment on his face. It would only cause her heart more pain. Luckily for her though, she didn’t have to, for in mere seconds she felt herself being torn from where she stood. Helios blinked to make sure that he had seen what he had saw, but the fact remained. Black Lady was no longer standing before him.

She was gone.

Endymion looked up from Sailor Moon’s head and instantly found Helios. Helios, who was still kneeling, met the prince’s heartbroken gaze with a look of sympathy. He knew that even though the prince had wanted to turn the princess to the Darkness no matter what the costs, this wasn’t what he had in mind. He had never wanted to see her dead. No matter his intentions, he still loved Serenity with all of his heart, and that was the only reason he wanted to turn her to Darkness, so that they could be together. Endymion opened his mouth, but no words came out. His throat felt clogged, and he was surprised that he had gone this long without noticing. He tried again, “Where is Black Lady?” He finally was able to ask.

“She is gone,” Helios replied, his tone quiet. “With Princess Serenity’s death the future has changed. It is now uncertain of what will happen.” He finally took in his surroundings when he heard another scream from a citizen of Tokyo. His eyes widened at the destruction. Now, he was deeply curious as to what had led to this entire ruckus. He looked to the Outer Senshi to gain some answers.

“Black Lady and Endymion both sent the power of their crystals to Sailor Moon to stop her from destroying an energy sucking cloud. Since Sailor Moon was channeling her crystal, when all three powers clashed…” Neptune trailed off.

“The world began to die,” Helios answered for her. “And Princess Serenity died because it was too much power for her unsuspecting body to handle. As I said before, the future of the world is now uncertain. That is, if there is any future left.” He looked at Princess Serenity’s body still cradled in Prince Endymion’s arms. He had believed that the future of the world lay in her hands. It was supposed to be her who would bring a time of peace to the universe when the time came. But now that she was dead…. he hung his head and prayed that someone would save them.

* * *

Princess Serenity’s body felt like it was on fire and ached everywhere. She tried to remember what had happened that would make her feel this way, and instantly remembered. She was inside that cloud, using the crystal to destroy it. Every limb had begun to protest, the crystal’s power had began to wane. Sensing that it had she put all of her being into that final push, when she had felt an unknown power, or was it powers? Slam into her body, causing her to lose focus…and she slightly remembered that the crystal had shattered. That was it then. She was dead. But, somehow, she couldn’t help but think that she wasn’t. If this was death, than why did it hurt so much?

She finally opened her eyes, and instantly gasped. She was no longer on Earth, but she wasn’t on the Moon either…well, in this time period. She looked up at the glistening Moon Kingdom palace. It was still standing. What exactly was going on here? She looked about her to find that she was laid out on the ground in one of the palace’s many gardens. She was wearing the white gown she had been wearing the night the Moon had been attacked. The night she had died the first time.

 _Oh, crap,_ she couldn’t help but think. She really had died. This was supposed to be her version of heaven. A time when she was the happiest. But if that was the case, then were was…

“I see your awake,” a very familiar masculine voice said from above her. She looked up and straight into those deep azure blue eyes. But these were the warm loving eyes she remembered. Not the cold dark ones, she knew now. Prince Endymion lowered himself to the ground beside her, and smiled. “I didn’t know how long you were going to be out. You took quite the beating, didn’t you?” He asked her softly.

“Wait, you know what happened?” She asked.

“Yes, of course I do,” he replied chuckling. “Because I have been watching all of this very closely, not like I had a choice in the matter since Endymion has me suppressed. But once I saw what happened…well, I had to come and see you. Endymion’s too distraught right now to hold up the cage he has me in, so… Usagi-chan, I really need to ask you to forgive me for all that has happened over the last five years. If I had known who you were…” he trailed off, his head now in his hands.

But Usagi didn’t notice this. She was more concerned with what he was talking about. Suppression, a cage….“Mamoru-chan?” She whispered her voice shaky. She couldn’t believe that she was actually seeing him. She never thought that she would ever get the opportunity again. She flung herself into his arms, sending him reeling. His arms instantly surrounded her, like they had every time they had collided on her daily jaunts to school in the morning. Her arms tightened around him, not wanting to let go. “I can’t believe it’s really you!” She exclaimed looking down at him. His eyes were dancing with humor.

“You have a knack for knocking into me, you know that Odango Atama?” He asked a playful tinge in his voice. Usagi couldn’t help but smile at the nickname. It had been too long since he had last called her that. She welcomed it, and didn’t even scream at him for using it. She didn’t have the heart to do so.

“Oh, Mamoru,” she cried. “I missed you so much! But how did you…”

“Endymion is too overcome by grief to keep me locked away in his mind,” he explained again. “So, I came to find you, even though I was hoping you could tell me where we are. Other than the old Moon Kingdom, of course.”

“I actually don’t know where we are either. I think, well, I think that I might be dead and this must be my version of heaven.” She propped herself off of Mamoru so that way he could sit back up again. His eyes were on her, the playful glint gone. A look of pure misery now in his gaze.

“You are dead,” he agreed. “I watched all of it happen. Endymion is still cradling your lifeless body and like I said, he’s overcome with grief. Not that I blame him, even I started crying when I saw what had happened to you. But Usagi, I really don’t believe that you are dead. You can’t be, not after everything you went through.”

“Trust me, Mamoru,” Usagi replied her gaze far off. “I know what you mean. I have been through a lot. More than you know, really, but…I really think that this is it. There’s no way that people can be brought back from the grave. Perhaps, my mother will reincarnate me again.”

“There won’t be another life for you to be reincarnated to, Usagi.”

Confusion riddled her brow at the mention of this. “Why not?”

“After Endymion’s power and Black Lady’s power hit you, the world began to decay. As we speak, the world is dying. I’m not sure what happened, but…it’s a horrible sight. I’m actually glad that you aren’t around to see this…. hey, what do you think you’re doing?” Usagi had stood up from the ground and was now marching over to a clearing in the garden. This was her heaven, she should be able to conjure things up at will. She conjured up a mirror and commanded it to show her Tokyo and her loved ones. After a few minutes the mirror cleared and showed her what she wanted to see. But as Usagi gazed into the mirror, she wished she hadn’t seen it. Mamoru was right, the city was dying, she could see all the buildings beginning to decay and crumble to the earth. Her loved ones were huddled against each other in their own groups crying desperately. And Endymion…he was cradling her lifeless body and tears were dripping from his eyes.

“There has to be a way to stop this!” She exclaimed, feeling Mamoru behind her. “I can’t just stand here and watch everything I fought for die!”

“There’s nothing you can do, Usagi,” Mamoru told her, regret evident in his voice. “You saw your body, you felt yourself die. Unless you know how to bring back yourself from the grave, you’re stuck watching as your precious world dies.” Mamoru hung his head. Usagi looked back at him desperately. She knew that he was right. She had felt herself die, even now, she was staring at her body being cradled in Endymion’s arms. She was stuck here and couldn’t do anything but watch helplessly as the world she had come to know and had saved so many times die.

For the first time since awakening in this heaven, she cried. Mamoru brought her closer to him, and let her cry into his chest. Offering what little comfort her could. Knowing that it would take a miracle for the world to be saved.

* * *

It seemed like hours had passed since all of this began, but in reality it had only been a few minutes. The world was still dying all around them, but Endymion seemed fixated on holding Sailor Moon. The group that surrounded them couldn’t bare to watch the dark prince hold their lifeless princess any longer, but no one had any idea of how to break him away from her. Or to break it to him gently that Sailor Moon wouldn’t be coming back. He had to let go. The Outer Senshi had no interest in telling Endymion off, Uranus, especially, believed that he should be left there to suffer. It was his fault that she was dead, after all. Their eyes were closed to block out these images of the world dying around them. It was too painful for them to watch as everything that they had come to know was turning to rubble.

At one point, the world began shaking again at such a ferocity that Venus and the others didn’t know if it was save for them to be on top of the roof of a building. Let alone the highest building in Tokyo. But how were they supposed to move Endymion? He looked so lost in his own thoughts as he stared at the head of Sailor Moon. Venus, who had finally had enough, approached her leader carefully and shakily.

“Endymion, we have to move,” she said. “This building could go down at any minute, and the second it does we’ll all be dead. I know that you’re going through a lot right now, but please, Serenity wouldn’t have wanted you to die.” He lifted his head at the mention of Serenity’s name, and finally looked at someone for the first time. Venus stumbled back when she made eye contact with the prince. There were tear track stains on his face, and his eyes, which had been so cold and filled with darkness, were now just filled with misery.

“You think it matters to me what Serenity would have wanted?” He found himself asking Venus. “You think it matters, now that Serenity is dead? I don’t care if she doesn’t want me to die, because she’s already dead. I will join her, because I can’t live in a world where she doesn’t exist. So, Venus, if you really want to get off of this building, I suggest that you go right on ahead. But you’ll be doing so without me.” He turned his attention back to Serenity’s head. Venus was once again in the arms of Kunzite, who was doing all he could to comfort her. Even though he wanted to stride across that space and hull the prince up by his collar. He was supposed to protect Endymion at all costs, hearing him say that he was so willing to die, made him quake in anger. Endymion had had an opportunity at his happiness and he had done everything he could to push Serenity to the brink of her power. It was really his fault that the love of his life was dead, but that didn’t mean that he had to put everyone’s life in the path of danger.

Helios was the only one who wasn’t too overcome with distraught at the site of what was going on. He was still praying that something would save them all from the destruction that was about to befall this world. Just as he was saying another prayer, three bright lights caught his attention. He opened his eyes and stared at the Outer Senshi who were glowing. He wasn’t the only one who seemed to notice this. The Inner Senshi, the Shitennou, and even Endymion looked up to see what was going on.

“Uranus, Neptune, Pluto!” Helios exclaimed to get their attention. The three girls stepped away from each other and stared at the light that was emitting from all three of them, or to be more specific, their talismans. They each exchanged a look of shock and despair as they pulled out their talismans. Pluto lowered her Garnet Orb into her outstretched hand. Neptune pulled out her Deep Aqua Mirror, and Uranus unsheathed her Space Sword. The light was emitting from these objects.

“This can’t be happening,” Neptune said to the other three. “How can this be happening? She wasn’t supposed to be called, not yet!"

“It’s because of what is happening here,” Pluto answered her. “Because Endymion and the others turned to Darkness, the whole track of the future has been thrown off. Now, the world is dying before it’s time and we have to…”

“No, we can’t, Pluto!” Uranus exclaimed. “If we summon her, that means that there is no future for this world. This world will die!”

“We don’t have much of a choice, Uranus. The talismans have already begun resonating with each other. We have to summon her, and just have to hope that there might be a miracle to save us all.”

“Excuse me,” Endymion’s deep voice shot out. The three Outer Senshi looked to him in surprise, as did the entire group. He was standing and walking over to them. “What is going on? Why are these objects emitting such a bright light and what are you three talking about?"

“Prince Endymion, do you not remember us from the Silver Millennium?” Pluto asked him.

“Of course I do,” he retorted. “But what does that have to do with this?”

“We are the keeper of the three talismans,” Uranus answered. “The three talismans when brought together and when they begin emitting this light will resonate with each other and summon _her_. The one who brings destruction to the planets and ultimately wipes them out.”

“So, what you’re saying is that…”

“This world is about to be destroyed.” The Inner Senshi gasped, their hands covering their mouths, and the tears that they had been crying dried on their skin. The Shitennou were also taken aback by this information. The world was really coming to an end. Endymion was the only one who stood there calmly. It didn’t matter to him that they were all about to die. He wanted to die. He no longer had any reason to keep on living, now that Serenity was dead.

“You can’t stop this?” Venus asked.

“No, once the talismans begin to resonate, like they are now, we have to summon her,” Pluto replied. “It’s the only way. The only thing we can do now is pray for a miracle to happen.” The three looked at each other and nodded. They pointed their talismans up to the sky and watched as the light that had been emitting from them joined together. The light then began to swirl in the sky, getting brighter with each turn. Everyone watched their breath caught in their throats, as something began to be lowered from this light. They all could clearly make out a body, which was lying horizontally, as if she was already dead. The light disappeared, and the body moved. The woman who had been enshrouded in the light was now standing up, the symbol of the planet Saturn blazing on her forehead. Her eyes opened and she stood upright, her hand holding what looked to be a magnificent glaive.

The woman had shoulder length black hair, and had purple eyes that put Mars’s to shame. Her tiara held a purple jewel that matched her eyes, but the rest of her outfit stunned everyone. Her earrings weren’t the studs that everyone was used to seeing; instead, they were in the shape of the planet Saturn and had purple crystals tear dropping off of them. Her purple choker held a crystal with many sharp points; this same crystal was also her brooch. Her purple Sailor fuku seemed to be shorter than the rest of the senshi’s, and her knee-high lace up purple boots had a higher heel than Sailor Moon’s.

“I am the journeyer from the valley of the dead with the blessings of Saturn, the planet of destruction, I am the Senshi of silence, Sailor Saturn,” she said her voice dead serious and cold. She stared at all of them, but they said nothing in return. How could they when they knew the reason that she was here? “I feel that it has not been that long since I was last called upon…” The Outer Senshi already knew that she had been summoned when the Silver Millennium had fallen to the Dark Kingdom a thousand years ago, but everyone else just stared at the new senshi.

“What are you talking about?” Endymion asked, voicing everyone’s question.

“She was last summoned during the time of the Silver Millennium,” Pluto replied. “When it fell to the Dark Kingdom. All of you won’t remember this, because you were already dead, but we had to watch as Sailor Saturn dropped her Silence Glaive and destroyed everything we knew and killed us.”

“I am always an uninvited guest,” Sailor Saturn continued as she walked around the roof examining the destruction that had already been dealt. “Several coincides piled up to warp the progress of events and at some point, history was taken off course.” She dropped to the ground below. The others followed her, entranced by her words. She tossed around her glaive from hand to hand as she walked onwards and further into the streets. “Whether it was because Beryl and Metallia were also reborn on this planet, or because Endymion and the others turned to Darkness, a pathway between the Dark Kingdom and this world was opened. But this is only natural, we were all drawn here, because this is a chosen land.” She indicated the world around them with her hands, before dropping them back to hold her glaive. She turned to face the group that had been following her.

“The fact that the power of the Silver Crystal, the Golden Crystal, and the Silver Crystal of the future has gathered here has commenced its descent into destruction, which was all predestined. Now that I have been awakened, I must drop this Silence Glaive.”

 _The Silence Glaive, the scythe of the goddess of destruction,_ Neptune thought to herself.

 _Dropping that means that everything will be destroyed,_ Pluto thought. “Sailor Saturn!” She found herself exclaiming, her voice almost desperate.

“This can’t be!” Uranus exclaimed. _Why is this our fate?_ “Stop Saturn!”

Venus held a hand to her mouth as Sailor Saturn closed her eyes. _Then does this mean that we have no future?_ Saturn threw her hand and her glaive into the air and called out,

“ _Death Reborn Revolution!_ ” Ribbons began encircling the girl as everyone watched. The ribbons than shot out and began to encircle everything around them. A bright flash of energy emitted and the buildings that had begun to crumble before now began to split in two and began to fall faster, including the building that Sailor Moon’s body had been left on. Endymion turned, realizing this, moments too late. He watched in horror as the building collapsed in on itself. He held a hand to his mouth in disbelief feeling as if a part of him was missing.

 _It’s the end! Nothing will stop it! The Silence Glaive will drop and the world will end. Sailor Moon!_ Uranus found herself thinking in her head. This wasn’t how it was supposed to end. She had guaranteed Serena that much. They were supposed to kick some major ass.

“Beautiful…this suffering at the moment of destruction,” they heard Sailor Saturn mutter. Everyone had dropped to their knees, knowing that there was nothing they could do to stop this. The world was going to end. The only person who could have stopped this, was Sailor Moon, but she was dead, there was nothing to be done. They could only watch in horror and wait for their final moment of life.

As they were all too focused on their thoughts, no one, except Helios, seemed to notice a darkness hovering above the city. Helios was staring at it, wondering what it could possibly be. From what he had heard, Sailor Moon had been able to destroy the cloud that Endymion had created, twice. So what was this? Helios wasn’t the only one who saw this darkness, Sailor Saturn realized what it was too. She ran and jumped up, with her glaive and pierced the thing. If Helios hadn’t been mistaken, he thought he heard it groan, as if it were in pain. He finally realized what the darkness was. He looked quickly to Endymion, the Inner Senshi, and the Generals, but realized that there was no change in them. They were still influenced by the Darkness, even though Queen Metallia was about to be destroyed.

As Helios stared at the Dark Kingdom’s entity, a blinding white light drew everyone’s attention out of his or her thoughts. Hadn’t there been enough light shows for one day, now what was this one about? Endymion, especially, was very curious to see what was going on, when he realized that the light was coming from the ruins of where Sailor Moon’s body was. It couldn’t be…. He found himself thinking. But the light grew brighter and brighter, until finally they saw her floating as if in mid air. Her eyes were still closed, as the light took her higher. Endymion felt his mouth open in shock. Could it be possible?

Sailor Moon’s eyes fluttered open and she found herself kneeling in a pile of rubble. She looked around her and realized that she had been removed from her heaven. She was alive again, but not for long if the destruction continued. Everyone gasped as they saw their princess alive.

“Sailor Moon!”

“Now! The end is near!” A voice exclaimed from above Sailor Moon. She looked up and was shocked to see a woman who was dressed as a Sailor Senshi in the air, holding down what looked to be another black cloud. But she realized that it wasn’t, for she saw it move! If it wasn’t a black cloud then what...? A memory from the last day of the Moon Kingdom filtered through her memory. It was a dark shadow, much like the one she was staring at now, that covered up the skyline. The shadow was Queen Metallia, the true queen of the Dark Kingdom. “I, Sailor Saturn, the guide to death, will lead you to the world of silence and nothingness!”

“Saturn?!” Moon exclaimed in shock. When had she been summoned? How was she going to destroy Queen Metallia? Moon searched the skies and saw something that looked like a black hole. Surely Saturn didn’t mean to be sucked into that thing with Queen Metallia. “Saturn, you can’t!” She found herself yelling up at the sky.

Saturn who now held the Silence Glaive parallel to her body smiled down at the senshi of the Moon, “Do not be distraught! Always with the end, comes hope and rebirth. You are the one who brings that, Sailor Moon.”

“Sailor Saturn…”

“Sailor Moon, because you released your whole power and the power of the Silver Crystal, this world can be saved. I am the Senshi who brings the death and destruction necessary for rebirth. This land is destined to become Crystal Tokyo. Its sacred power is your ally.” She smiled again at Sailor Moon who could only watch in distress. “Sailor Pluto!” She called. Pluto looked up. “Close forever this road to another dimension.”

“Saturn, no!”

“Quickly!”

“My Father Chronos, guardian of time and space, lend me your power! Close the breached taboo door! _Dark Doom Close!_ ” She exclaimed and brought her garnet rod down. A door seemed to appear out of nowhere, and began sucking in Queen Metallia, the black hole, and Sailor Saturn. As soon as everything was inside the door closed and disappeared, taking Sailor Saturn’s smiling face with it. _“Saturn!”_ Pluto, Uranus, Neptune, Venus, Mercury, Mars, and Jupiter found themselves exclaiming. Endymion looked back at the Inner Senshi surprised by their sudden outburst at the loss of the senshi of destruction. They shouldn’t be able to feel this emotion, unless…he looked closer and realized that the Dark power that had been over them, controlling them, was gone. How had they broken the brainwash?

Sailor Moon’s head was tilted still looking up to the sky where Saturn had been. Tears were silently running down her cheeks as she thought about what Saturn had said to her. _“Always with the end, comes hope and rebirth.”_ Unconsciously, she felt her sailor fuku disappear and her dress that she wore as Princess Serenity appear. The staff that she had held while defeating the cloud reappeared in her hands. It was now longer, and the crystal was restored. She stood and began channeling her crystal’s power again to rebuild everything. Everyone silently watched her, in awe.

“The people…the buildings…are being reborn…” Kunzite trailed off in absolute awe. Venus looked towards him and realized that the Darkness he had was gone. In fact, as she turned her gaze to the rest of the Shitennou she realized that they were no longer being controlled by the Darkness as well. They had all broken free of the spell, except for Endymion who was now staring greedily again at Serenity. The Outer Senshi groaned at the look that crossed his face. Hadn’t he learned _anything_ from Serenity’s death?

The light that was coming from Serenity’s staff soon began to fade, as everything returned to normal. The dark sky was no more, as the sun shone brightly. Serenity looked over her handiwork and then gently jumped down to the ground below. Once she landed, she looked towards the group, knowing that she still had one more task to complete. She just hoped that she had the strength to accomplish it. As soon as Serenity landed, the Outer Senshi, and the Inner Senshi ran over to her, calling her name.

“Serenity!” The Outer Senshi got there first and hugged their princess tightly. Once they broke away they stared in wonder at the Inner Senshi. Serenity was the first to make a move towards the girls. She cautiously stepped forward to meet them.

“Princess Serenity, please, it’s really us,” Venus said. “I promise, we are no longer controlled by the Darkness.” Serenity stared at each and every one of them, but she didn’t sense any Darkness lingering within them. They were her old friends, they were on the side of Light once again. She rushed into their embrace and was quickly hugged by all of them at once as they cried their apologies for betraying her. The Outer Senshi and the Shitennou all watched this with mild amusement, while Endymion stood by himself, the Darkness still controlling him. As if sensing this, Serenity looked up from the group hug she was receiving and met his lustful and greedy stare. She didn’t have to look at him long to know that he was still being controlled by Darkness. Whatever had broken the spell on her Senshi and the Shitennou, hadn’t worked on him.

“Welcome back from the dead, Serenity,” he said his arms crossed over his chest. He couldn’t believe his situation. How had he lost everything that he had worked for over the last four years? What the _hell_ had happened?

“It’s good to be back, Endymion,” she replied, the arms of the Inner Senshi still around her. She motioned for them to let her go as she strode forward to meet Endymion halfway. They stood only a few feet away from each other. “I feel like we still have some unfinished business to attend to, or would you rather make this easy on me considering that the Inner Senshi and your Shitennou have turned back to Light?”

“I won’t be making this easy on you, Serenity,” he said gruffly. “My Shitennou and the Inner Senshi have turned back to the side of Light, but I guarantee that it won’t be for long. I turned them once, I can turn them again, but first, my love, I believe I’ll turn you to the Darkness. For you see, I learned something while you were dead. I can’t live without you, and I really don’t want to turn back to the Light.”

“Hm…so we’ve reached an impasse then, my prince. For you see, I don’t want to turn to Darkness, as you very well know. So I believe, then, we are right back where we started before I died.”

“Yes, I believe you’re right,” Endymion said feeling the power crackling at his fingertips again. It was back to the battle that they had begun to fight what seemed like a day ago, but was really only hours. And as usual, he did not have any intentions of losing or of playing fairly. “Let’s continue this war of ours, shall we?”

“I don’t think so, because to be frank, I am sick of all this fighting. We both seem to come to the same conclusion. You can’t live without me and I can’t live without you. You won’t turn to the Light, I won’t turn to the Darkness.”

“If that’s how you really feel, Serenity, then why don’t you just surrender?”

Serenity began to laugh, “You’d really like that, wouldn’t you, Endymion? But tell me something, do you remember that last day of the Moon Kingdom? Do you remember exactly what happened?”

“Yes, of course I do,” Endymion replied a little confused by the question she was asking. “Queen Beryl and the Dark Kingdom overturned the king and queen of the Earth and began their assault on the Moon. I had caught word of it and came as soon as I could to protect you. When I found you, Beryl had gotten there first and was about to attack when I interceded. Some words were exchanged and then Beryl threw an energy ball at us. I threw you out of the way and took the full blunt of it.”

“But of course that’s all you remember,” Serenity said. “Because you died soon afterwards. What you don’t know is how I died.” Everyone stared at her, especially the Outer Senshi and the Inner Senshi who did know how Serenity had died. What exactly was she trying to get at by telling Endymion this?

“What do you mean, how you died?” Endymion asked confused. “I thought you died when Beryl destroyed the Moon Kingdom?”

“No, that is not how I died. You see, I was so distraught over your death that I took your sword and plunged it directly into my chest,” Serenity solemnly said. “Because like you said before, Endymion, I couldn’t live without you and besides the world was going to hell anyway.” A silence loomed over the both of them. Endymion was thinking of what she had just told him. What was the point of telling him about how she died on the Moon? It didn’t matter now, this was a different time and things were going to end differently then they did back then. He was sure of it. Serenity on the other hand was thinking forlornly about what she was going to do. She didn’t want things to end like this, but what else could she do? Obviously her death had done nothing to change Endymion’s mind. He was too engulfed in Darkness now. There was nothing that she could do to save him, except for this. She couldn’t stand to see him like this anymore. It made her heart ache worse than ever before.

“Why bring this up, Serenity?” He found himself asking out loud.

“Because it’s funny how history sometimes repeats itself.” She stated before calling out with her mind, _“Sword of the Moon who protects the princess, come to my hand.”_ The Inner Senshi froze as they recognized the sword that they had found when they first journeyed to the Moon appeared in the princess’s hand. What was she doing with it? She couldn’t possibly be thinking of…they all trailed off, because they knew especially with the words that she had said, what she was intending on doing.

“Princess Serenity, no, you can’t do this!” They all exclaimed. But it was too late for she was running directly at Endymion, the sword in hand. Endymion was still confused and got even more confused when he saw Serenity running towards him with a sword in her hand. What was she doing? As she neared him, the sword poised to strike, he tried to stop her. But the sword faltered at the last second because they had caught each other’s eyes. His surprised look and her tear stained face. There was something within their gazes that brought them closer, she reached up, cupping his face as their lips met briefly to share a kiss. But it ended quickly, as she brought the sword down, cutting into his back and piercing through his abdomen before it wedged into her chest. _Endymion, you are my first love, my only love. Even if we’re reborn in another life, we’ll find each other and then we’ll fall in love again…._ she found herself thinking before she was lost to blackness.

* * *

She felt like there was a million pounds sitting on her chest. There was no way that she was dead, because if she were she wouldn’t be feeling like this. With a great regret she opened her eyes, and was faced with seven pairs of eyes staring down at her. She sat up quickly, the weight on her chest, temporarily forgotten and stared at the seven Senshi around her. Everything that had happened, her plunging the sword into Endymion and herself, that hadn’t been a dream…had it?

“What happened?” She found herself asking.

“Well, to put it mildly, you killed yourself again,” Minako answered her.

“You also killed Endymion,” Rei chimed in.

“So I was right, that wasn’t a dream.”

“No, it definitely wasn’t,” Ami whispered. “But it sent all of us into a frenzy, trying to figure out if the two of you were still alive, and then…there was a bright flash of light again. When the light cleared, both of your wounds were gone, no blood no nothing. You had been healed.”

“The Silver Crystal,” Usagi whispered and the others nodded their heads.

“Buns,” Haruka said from beside her. “Why did you try to kill yourself again?”

“Because, I couldn’t stand to fight him anymore and I didn’t want to see him so engulfed in the Darkness,” Usagi replied looking away. “It was killing me, I wanted Mamoru back. You don’t know this, but when I died the first time, I saw him again. We talked and we also watched as the world began to die. But I don’t quite remember what happened after that, there was a flash of light and then I was opening my eyes to the destruction.” She shook her head. “Besides, I couldn’t think of anything else to do that would possibly heal him.” She put her head on her knees. Her thoughts drifting away to the kiss that they had shared before she plunged the sword into the both of them. It had been different from the ones that they had shared when he was Endymion. It was more gentle and sweet, there was no lust or possession. It had been pure, like Mamoru had been there instead of the evil Endymion. She sighed and then looked up again, questions filling her head.

“What happened to the Shitennou?”

“That’s who you’re asking about?” Makoto found herself chuckling. “Shouldn’t you be asking what happened to Endymion?”

“I’m assuming that once he was healed he went back to the Dark Kingdom,” Usagi replied looking at the seven of them. They all exchanged glances and shook their heads. “What? Guys, come on, what aren’t you telling me?”

“Usagi, we can’t answer that question for you,” Michiru said. “However, I suggest that you go to Mamoru’s apartment if you really want to know what happened to him.” Usagi frowned and gently swung her legs off of her bed and stood. She slipped on some shoes and began walking to the door of her room. The seven girls followed behind her, until she reached the front door.

“You guys aren’t coming with me?”

“No, we’re going to stay here,” they replied. “Now, go.” They waved good-bye to her. She opened the door and stepped outside, closing it behind her she began to walk down the sidewalk. What had they meant if you want to know what happened to him we suggest you go to his apartment. Had he not gone back to the Dark Kingdom? Had he somehow been turned back to the Light? With that last thought, Usagi began to run. She had to get to Mamoru’s apartment as fast as she could.

* * *

When she arrived at Mamoru’s door, she found herself too afraid to knock. What if she was wrong? What if Mamoru hadn’t turned back to the Light and all she was going to find was an empty apartment? She bit her lip, this was foolish she had nothing to lose by knocking on that door. She raised her hand and knocked three times. She waited not realizing that she was holding her breath. The door swung open and she was greeted with a wondrous sight. Even though a part of her couldn’t believe what she was seeing.

“M-Mamoru?” She stuttered.

“Yes, it’s me, Usagi,” he replied a smile on his face. He watched as the blonde walked cautiously forward before enveloping her in his arms. He held her as close as he possibly could. It had been too long since he last was able to do this. She squeezed him right back, knowing the feeling. She was concentrating trying to find out if there was any Darkness within him, but she found nothing. There was no Darkness within him. Mamoru was back, her Mamoru. But wait…how?

“Wait, I don’t understand,” she said pulling away from him. “How did you come back from the Darkness?”

“The light that the Senshi and the Shitennou saw was the light of the Silver Crystal. It healed me and cleansed me of all the Darkness that was within me. Thank you, Usagi for not giving up on me. Even though I have to say, watching you die twice was quite painful for me to go through. Don’t you ever put me through something like that again.”

“Okay,” she smiled widely. “I won’t.” He brought her back into a hug, and after awhile he tilted her head towards his and captured her lips with his own. Usagi couldn’t help but smile into this kiss. It was just like the one that they had shared before she had killed them. Sweet and gentle. Her Mamoru was back. They broke apart and smiled at each other. They could have spent days just wrapped in each other’s arms, but Usagi knew that she had to get back to her friends. They had years to catch up on.

“I better go,” Usagi whispered. “The others are waiting for me to come back and I still have questions for all of them.”

“Okay,” he said with a great reluctance. “But just as long as I get to see you again soon. I feel like we have a lot of time to catch up on.”

“Of course, you will!” She exclaimed a smile on her lips. She turned and walked out the door, but before she stepped onto the elevator she waved at him. As soon as the doors shut, Mamoru closed the door to his apartment and stood up against it. His face was set in concentration as he thought. He knew he shouldn’t have lied to her, but how else was this supposed to work? He needed time to think of a new plan, and with this lie he would get that time. A crackle of energy flaunted off his fingertips as he smiled and thought about a certain blonde and how she would be his very soon.

_THE END…for now…_

_We’re running with the shadows of the night_

_So baby take my hand it will be all right_

_Surrender all your dreams to me tonight_

_They’ll come true in the end_

_And now the hands of time are standing still_

_Midnight angel won’t you say you will_

_~Shadows of the Night ~Pat Benetar_

           


End file.
